You're Adopted
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: "You're adopted." Fugaku Uchiha said. Those words would change his entire life. Before they were uttered, Sasuke was just a normal college student. Now, he knew that his real father was a merman and he was turning into one! Oh and he was getting a guide to help him make this transition. Just to make matters a little more complicated, Suigetsu appeared rather intent on seducing him.
1. Chapter 1

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** This is a YAOI story. That means there will be at least one male x male romantic pairing. This story is also about mermen and mermaids. If any those things bother you, you might want to turn back now. Reviews are appreciated and I hope you all enjoy the story.

 **Chapter Notation:** Please do keep in mind that this is a fantasy story. Any biological/cultural traits that are referenced are not meant to be 100% scientifically accurate. I am "world building" by using ideas from my own imagination and from myths.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my stories.

Chapter One

"Man, are you part dolphin or something?!" Naruto asks with a laugh as Sasuke comes swimming back to him.

"No, I'm not. Do I look like I have flippers to you? What'd I clock in at?" Sasuke asks.

Naruto looks at his watch. Damn. Sasuke might not have flippers, but he was wicked fast in the water. It was almost unbelievable that the dark haired man could swim that far in only sixty-eight seconds. That was like Olympian fast.

"A minute and eight seconds. That's a personal best. If your team doesn't win State, there is something seriously wrong." The blonde says.

Sasuke nods. That beat his old record by fifteen seconds. He was getting better. The Uchiha honestly didn't know what it was about water, but he felt more comfortable in it than out of it. So joining the swim team had just made perfect sense to him.

Back in high school, Fugaku had started to worry that Sasuke might be a little too antisocial to be healthy. He encouraged Sasuke to try out for a team or to join a club. He just wanted his son to do SOMETHING that involved socializing with someone other than just Naruto.

"Yeah. The Sound doesn't have a chance." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Sasuke was actually very athletic. Fugaku had hoped that he would try out for the football team, track, soccer, or something traditional. Sasuke just didn't have an interest in dealing with any of those sports. They were too touchy feely for him and he knew that the cheerleaders would end up getting on his nerves. So Sasuke had tried out for his high school swim team. The raven haired man had excelled at the sport and became the Captain of his high school swim team. Four years later, he received a full athletic scholarship to Konoha University.

Sasuke was naturally competitive and wanted to prove that he deserved that scholarship. He was going to do so by defeating Konoha University's main rival at State, Sound University. They were widely viewed as being unbeatable, but Sasuke had never been one to shy away from a challenge.

"You really are a cocky bastard. Though I guess in this case, you kinda have a right to be." Naruto observes.

"Come on. We should probably head back. It's getting late and I have a class at eight tomorrow." Sasuke says.

"Why the fuck would you sign up for a class at that hour?! It's nuts. You finally have the chance to choose when you take your classes and go with a morning class?" Naruto asks.

"I didn't have a choice. It's popular course. That was the only slot that had any seats open." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"Man that sucks. I'm lucky. I managed to get most of my classes in the afternoon or evening. The earliest class I have is at 11 in the morning." Naruto observes.

If Sasuke had his way, he wouldn't leave his bed before Noon. He was a night owl by nature. There was just something about the night that energized him. He didn't know what it was.

"Yeah. It does and you are such a lucky son of a bitch." The dark haired college student grumbles.

As he was musing about this, the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stand up. He felt like he was being watched. Sasuke turns around and looks out into the water. For just a split second, he thought he saw a pair of violet eyes and a head of white hair peeking out from behind one of the larger rocks. Before he could determine if he had actually seen someone or if it was just a trick of the light, it was gone.

"You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Naruto asks.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I thought I saw someone, but I guess I must be just imagining things. Let's go back to our dorm. You can drive. I think I probably had one too many beers at the party or something." Sasuke says.

Naruto nods. He didn't mind playing the role of the designated driver. He was blessed with a high tolerance for alcohol. Sasuke wasn't. He was lucky if he could have more than two beers before he started really feeling it. The two of them head back to the car and drive off.

"Seriously, what would you do without me? You are such a lightweight." Naruto taunts him.

"I guess I would have to call a cab and my ears would bleed less. You have to be the loudest person that I've ever met. God help me, if you ever bring a girl back to our dorm." Sasuke mutters.

The Uchiha couldn't resist teasing the boisterous blonde. Naruto was his best friend, but it hadn't always been that way. When they were kids, they hated each other.

They fought like cats and dogs. They still did sometimes. But he knew that the blonde would always be there for him, when push came to shove. Sasuke would always return the favor. Naruto was like the brother he never had.

"You can be such a bastard sometimes." Naruto sulks.

"You're the one that likes to hang out with a bastard, so what does that make you?" Sasuke continues taunting him.

"Oh I just use you. You are a chick magnet. Which is funny, since you prefer dicks." The blonde replies.

Sasuke just rolls his eyes. He was used to the blonde's jokes. As much as he was loathed to admit it, that was a classic. Naruto deserved a point for that one.

He had realized early on that he had no romantic interest in women. During middle school, most of his friends had gotten their first crushes. Sasuke never did. They would be fawning over the "cutest girls" or "the hottest celebrities." The studious swimmer just couldn't understand the appeal.

"I know. I'm cursed. You have no idea how annoying it is to get stalked by a herd of giggling harpies, everywhere you go." Sasuke mutters.

This had continued on through high school. Eventually, Naruto realized something was up. Sasuke was one of the most popular guys in their class, but he never had a girlfriend. The blonde started badgering the Uchiha about what type of girl he liked and trying to set him up on dates. Finally, Sasuke had just cracked and told him the truth.

Sasuke Uchiha, Captain of the swim team and one of the most popular guys in their school, was gay. He had no interest in girls. That had shocked Naruto. The lovable jock just couldn't fathom not liking girls, but eventually Naruto processed it. Now the blonde thought was extremely supportive (though often clueless) about Sasuke's sexuality.

"So speaking of sucking, any hotties on your swim team?" Naruto asks with a grin.

"Most of the guys on the team are straight. There's one who is bisexual and two other who are like me. The bisexual one is not my type. The other two are dating each other." Sasuke says.

"Wow. That bites. You really have the worst luck. Well I'm sure you'll meet someone. This is college after all. Plenty of fish in the sea!" Naruto says cheerfully.

Sasuke nods. He knew that his best friend meant well. But honestly, he didn't think it was going to happen for him. He knew that some people found their soul mate in high school or college, but he considered that to be fairly rare. Still they said there was someone out there for everyone. Eventually, he'd find the right person.

Unbeknownst to them, they had just left behind a very excited merman. Suigetsu watches as they leave. Izuna was going to be thrilled.

"He looks like he's of age now. He should be turning back soon." Suigetsu muses.

Suigetsu was a merman and belonged to the Sharingan Pod. A pod was what a large group of mermaids and mermen was called. Izuna Uchiha was the leader of the Sharingan Pod and apparently was the hot two legger's father.

It wasn't completely unheard of for mermen or mermaids to Mate with humans. Certainly, it was rare. But it had happened before. When that happened, the hatchling would age and develop just like any normal human until they _"Came of Age."_

That's when they would begin to hear the _Ocean's Call_ and start to change back into their true form. It was a fairly gradual process, it didn't happen overnight. While they were changing back, a guide would be assigned to them. In this case, Suigetsu was going to be "Sasuke's" guide. He just didn't know it yet.

"He really does take after his old man." Suigetsu observes.

The resemblance was striking. If it were not for the generational gap, they could have been identical twins. They both had raven black hair that was spiked in a feral fashion, moonlight pale skin, aristocratic features, and a sleek muscular builds. The main difference other than age, was that Sasuke hadn't activated his Sharingan yet. So his eyes were still obsidian black, whereas his father's were ruby red.

Now that was going to be one gorgeous merman. Suigetsu couldn't help but wonder what color tail he'd get. Red would look really sexy. A darker blue would be really alluring as well.

Hmm there were lots of good options. He really hoped it wasn't a bright color though. That would just clash horribly with his dark hair and fair skin.

"Wonder if he likes green." The merman asks himself as he looks down at his own light green tail.

Suigetsu had been watching Sasuke from afar for a couple years. It was important that guides get to know their charges beforehand. It was a bad idea to know nothing about a person, before you sprang the fact that they weren't really human on them.

He wasn't sure when it happened exactly, but he had fallen in love with his charge. At first, he had thought it was just lust. That was only natural. Sasuke was _fucking gorgeous,_ no matter what species you were.

Overtime it had either developed into more or Suigetsu had just stopped living in denial. He wasn't sure which. He didn't care. The important thing was that he was in love with Izuna's long lost son.

"Has he started transforming yet?" Suigetsu hears a familiar voice ask.

It was Kisame. Kisame was another merman. Well sorta. He was from a subspecies known as the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki were mermen and women who had shark features.

In Kisame's case, his features resembled that of a Hammerhead Shark. He had light blue skin, shark teeth, and gills on his face. He was also much larger than most mermen. His hair and tail were both navy blue and his eyes were silver.

"I don't think so. He must be getting close though. He's getting much faster now." Suigetsu says.

"That's impressive. He was pretty speedy for a human to begin with." The Akatsuki muses.

Suigetsu nods. He knew the real reason that Kisame was here. He was really only interested in Sasuke because Sasuke had a half-brother. Itachi. Itachi had somehow found out about Sasuke, despite Izuna's wishes.

The white haired merman wasn't exactly sure why Izuna wanted to keep the half-siblings apart, but he did. Maybe he just wanted Sasuke to transform first and have time to adjust. Maybe he was worried Itachi would be jealous of Sasuke or resent Sasuke for having a human mother. Who knew?

"Have you told Itachi that Sasuke is about to transform yet?" The violet eyed man inquires.

"No. Not yet. I want him to actually transform, before I tell him anything. Not much point in telling Itachi, if Sasuke is human." Came the surprisingly honest reply.

Suigetsu mentally sighs in relief. Itachi's intentions towards his half-brother were a mystery to everyone, but Itachi. The green tailed merman wanted Sasuke to transform and get used to being a merman, before he found out about his elder sibling. It looked like Kisame was going to indulge him, at least partially in this desire.

"You really love him. I've never known an Akatsuki to venture this close to the shore before." Suigetsu says.

Kisame was good at hiding his feelings, but Suigetsu could tell. He knew what it was like to watch someone from afar. To be able to look, but never to touch. He had gotten good at hiding his own fascination with his hybrid.

He had to. Suigetsu was worried that if Izuna found out about his desires for Sasuke, he'd assign another guardian to him. He couldn't let that happen. So he kept his feelings a secret.

"As much as you love your hybrid." Kisame admits.

"If you or Itachi try to hurt him, I will kill you. Just so we are clear." Suigetsu says with a far too cheerful smile.

"If you or Sasuke hurt Itachi, I will kill you. Just so we are clear. I suppose it's a good thing that we are laying all our coral on the table." The blue skinned merman says with a smirk and Suigetus nods in agreement.

The next morning, Naruto woke up to his normally quiet roommate screaming his head off. His eyes widen and he races towards the source of the panicked cries for help. The blonde blinks when he saw Sasuke was in the tub.

"Sasuke, what the Hell is wrong? Why are you screaming bloody murder?" Naruto asks.

"It's my legs! Naruto, look at my fucking legs!" Sasuke says in an utterly terrified tone.

The blue eyed college student glances down at his best friend's legs. He gasps at what he saw. There were scales scattered along them. SCALES! There weren't a lot of them, just a handful. But it was more than enough to freak them both out.

"Sasuke, what the Hell?! I was kidding about the dolphin thing! Sheesh. How long have you had those?!" Naruto asks.

"I just noticed them when I got in the tub. Damn it! Should I go to the hospital? Maybe it's just a rash? Maybe something was in the water and I had an allergic reaction?" Sasuke asks desperately.

Naruto looks at Sasuke's scales again. Yeah, those weren't caused by a rash. He gestures for Sasuke to get out of the tub and turns his back to give his friend some privacy. He hears Sasuke throw on a bathrobe and turns around.

"Can I touch them?" The other college student asks.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. If I was exposed to some sort of toxins, you might get whatever I have." Sasuke replies.

"Yeah. Good point. Hang on." Naruto says and he darts off.

A few minutes later, he returns wearing a pair of gloves. Sasuke gives Naruto a look like, _"Really?"_ The blonde shrugs and gingerly touches one of the scales.

"You have better dispose of those very carefully. I don't want you getting sick too." Sasuke warns him.

"I will. It's definitely not a rash. Those are scales Sasuke. You have like fucking fish or snake scales on you. I've never seen anything like it. Holy shit. We should probably get you to the hospital or something. Do they hurt?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke frowns as he considers the question. Well no. They didn't hurt, but that wasn't very comforting. He should NOT have scales on his legs.

"No. They don't hurt. I can't go to the hospital. What if they try to dissect me or something?!" Sasuke demands.

"I don't think they'd dissect you. Hey, look they are shrinking." Naruto says.

The Uchiha blinks. He looks down. Sure enough, the scales were shrinking. It was a slow process, but it was definitely noticeable. He frowns and scoops up a handful of water. He splashes it on his legs and the scales start to grow back slightly.

"It's the water. I think we should get the water tested. It might happen to me too." Naruto says.

"Yeah. We definitely need to get the water tested." Sasuke agrees and sighs in relief when after a few minutes, his legs no longer have scales on them.

Sasuke glances at the clock and mentally curses. If he was going to actually get to class on time, he would have to dress and scram. He bites his lower lip anxiously at that thought. Sasuke wasn't entirely certain if he should go to class or not.

Maybe he should go to a hospital? He dismisses that thought. What was he going to say? _"I need to see a doctor because when my legs get wet, I temporarily get scales."_ That would probably get him sent to the psych ward and he was not crazy! Naruto had seen the scales too!

"I'll call someone to come look at the water. Sasuke, maybe you should skip today. I know you don't usually play hooky, but today you probably should. What if the scales come back? What if they come back somewhere more noticeable, like on your face or something?" His best friend asks.

"Naruto, make the call. I'm going to have one of the school nurses look me over. I'm not going to mention anything about the scales, but I'll feel better if I get a clean bill of health." Sasuke says.

"Yeah. Probably a good idea. Don't worry. I'll take care of this. We'll figure this out!" Naruto says with a bright sunny smile.

Sasuke shakes his head. Idly, he wonders if Naruto would ever outgrow his eternal optimism. The Uchiha sometimes wondered if there wasn't something in Naruto's beloved ramen that made him so perky.

"Alright. I'll be back soon." Sasuke says as he darts off towards the closest nurse's office.

"Is anyone there?" Sasuke asks as he knocks on the door.

"Yeah! Come in." He hears a feminine voice reply and soon the door is opened to reveal Sakura.

Sasuke mentally curses his luck. Damn it. Sakura was a med student. She was job shadowing Tsunade. The pink haired woman had made no secret of the fact she would love to " _Play Doctor,"_ with Sasuke.

It wasn't that Sasuke didn't like Sakura. He just didn't like her in that way. Quite honestly, she just didn't entice him because she was the wrong gender. Naruto knew he was gay, but Sakura didn't.

"Oh hey, Sasuke. What's wrong? Not many people come in this early in the morning." The jade eyed woman asks.

"I was out swimming with Naruto last night. I was practicing for State. When I got back to our dorm, I felt itchy. I think there might have been something in the water." Sasuke explains.

Sakura purses her lips. Well it wasn't impossible. Oil spills and pollution did spread sometimes, even if the effects weren't always visible. She suddenly felt worried for her crush.

"Where did you feel itchy exactly?" She asks.

"My legs." The swimmer replies and Sakura nods, gesturing for him to roll up his pants.

Sasuke does so without compliant. Thankfully, Sakura was now in professional mode. She might like him, but she could shove aside her attraction to focus on providing him actual medical care. He knew that she wouldn't use the opportunity to try to feel him up. (Unlike some other female health care providers that he had the misfortune of seeing in the past.)

"Well they look normal. I don't see any rash or any cuts. Let me check your temperature and pulse just to be on the safe side." Sakura says.

"Alright. Sure." Sasuke says and allows her to place the thermometer in his mouth.

"Hmm this has to be broken. It says that temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit or about 21 degrees Celsius. Hang on, I'll get another one." She says with a smile and quickly grabs a different thermometer.

Sakura goes through about five before she looks at Sasuke in horror. There was no possible way that all five could be wrong. Sasuke gulps at her expression.

"I don't understand. At this temperature, you should be in a coma and your body should be shutting down. You should be dead or dying, but you look perfectly fine." Sakura says.

"Here let me see them. I think they really are just defective." Sasuke says and reaches for the thermometer.

Sakura lets him have it. Clearly she shaken up. Sasuke takes them and while she was distracted, he crushes the ends in his hand, giving them back to her. He points out that they were broken.

"How did I not notice that? No wonder that they were wrong. Sorry about that. Um I'll just check your heart rate." She says.

Sasuke nods. After about at minute, he realizes something was really wrong. Sakura looked really worried. Uh oh.

"Sasuke, the average heart rate for an adult is between 60-80 beats per minute. It can go higher, if you are exercising of course. It can get as high as up to 300, but that's really dangerous. Yours is at 124. Have you been running a marathon or something this morning?" She asks.

"Oh um I was practicing laps. Like I said, my legs got itchy. I must have overdone it. Thanks, Sakura. I'll just head off. I feel much better now." Sasuke says and he awkwardly darts off.

First, scales. Then his body temperature should have been fatal. Now his heart rate was going too fast. This was not normal. Yet, he felt fine. He should be in a coma or dead according to what he knew about the human body.

He runs back to his room, feeling terrified. Sasuke happens to see that his marine biology book was open. It was open to a page about sharks. _Sharks have a heart rate of 124 beats per minute._ Oh God. What was happening to him?! He quickly calls his parents.

"Mom, dad! Please pick up." He practically screams into the phone.

"I'm here, Sasuke. What's wrong? You sound terrified." Mikoto asks her son.

"I really need to talk to you guys in person. I can be home in fifteen minutes. Are you free? It's really important!" Sasuke exclaims.

"Of course, we are free. We'll be here baby. Whatever it is, I'm sure that we can find a way to fix it." The dark beauty assures him.

Sasuke hangs up and looks at Naruto. He bit his lower lip. How as he supposed to explain this?

"My body temperature was only 70 degrees and my heart was going over 120 beats per minute. I should be dead or at least in a coma, Naruto. I'm going to talk to my parents." Sasuke says.

"Shit! That's crazy. Do you want me to drive you? I mean with those vitals, it might not be a good idea for you to be driving anywhere." Naruto offers.

Sasuke nods. That was actually a good point. He heads off with Naruto. The blonde drives him home and Sasuke races inside his house, with his best friend not far behind.

"Mom, dad! I know this is going to sound crazy. But I think I'm turning into a fish or something. I had scales earlier, but they went away! My body temperature is only 70 degrees and my heart rate is really fast. I don't know what's wrong with me!" He exclaims.

Fugaku and Mikoto look at each other. Instead of looking at Sasuke like he was crazy, they looked rather resigned. Hell, Sasuke would even say they looked _guilty_ about something.

"Son, you are going to want to sit down. There's something that your mother and I need to tell you." Fugaku says.

Sasuke sits down. Naruto sits down next to him. The young Uchiha was suddenly really grateful that Naruto had come with him. He didn't want to face whatever this was alone.

"You know that we love you. We love you more than anything. That's why we were so happy when we found you." Mikoto says.

Sasuke blinks. FOUND HIM?! _**FOUND HIM?!**_ What the fuck did that even mean?!

"You're adopted. We had been trying for years to have a child, but with no luck. I'm actually sterile. So when we found a baby washed up on a beach, we thought it was just fate. Naturally, we took you to the police station. Surely, someone would come looking for you. But no one came. After a few months, it was decided that your parents either abandoned you, were dead, or just weren't going to find you. Eventually, we were able to legally adopt you." Fugaku explains.

"Alright. So he's adopted! Lots of people are! That doesn't explain why he's turning into a fish or something!" Naruto exclaims.

"He's not turning into a fish. He's turning into a merman." Mikoto corrects him.

"WHAT?!" Sasuke sputters in disbelief.

Fugaku sighs. He knew this day would come. They probably should have told him sooner, but it had always seemed so far away. Time had just snuck up on them.

""I know it sounds difficult to believe, but your father wasn't…like us. When you were little, you used to love going to the beach we found you on. One day, you wandered away from us and into the water. Far too deep for any three year old to go. You should have drowned but someone saved you. That someone was not human. That was how we met Izuna." Fugaku continues.

Sasuke's heart was beating frantically in his chest. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't be turning into a fucking mermaid! Well merman, he mentally corrects himself. (As if somehow that was going to make a difference.)

"He was glorious, Sasuke. His eyes were red like rubies and skin was paler than the moon. When he got closer to us though, we noticed that he wasn't walking. He was swimming. He had a pitch black tail. Scaled like a fish. He swam like a dolphin. It was then that he explained everything to us." Mikoto continues.

If Sasuke didn't know his parents any better, he might say this was some sort of prank. As much as he wanted to believe it, something in his mother's words rang true. He could picture this mysterious being in his minds eye. It felt too vivid to be his imagination, like it was a memory.

"What did this _Izuna_ say?" Sasuke demands.

"He said that he fell in love with a human woman. That you were a special baby. You would grow as any human child until you came of age. Once you were old enough, you would become like him. A guide would be sent to help you make the transition, when you were old enough. A merman or a mermaid. We should have told you earlier, but we always thought we had more time. That and we were worried you would think we were crazy." Mikoto whispers.

It sounded crazy. Sasuke would have thought his parents had lost it, if it wasn't for the fact he had seen evidence of this transition before his very eyes. Naruto looked just as shocked as he was.

"Did he say how I would know who my guide was?" Sasuke asks.

"Your guide will be wearing this symbol on a necklace." Fugaku says and he shows him a family crest that was white and red, a fan.

"Well that's something at least. At least I'll know him or her when I see them." Sasuke says with a sigh.

He couldn't believe this! Sasuke was adopted. As if that wasn't enough to process, he was also turning into some mythological creature! He bites his lower lip and wishes he could turn back time.

Two days ago his biggest concern had been getting into the marine biology class he wanted and whether or not he could win State. Now he knew he wasn't even human. Sasuke could only look at his parents helplessly as they hugged him and told him that it was all going to be okay. He wasn't sure if he believed them or not.


	2. Chapter 2

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. It looks like Suigetsu and Kisame's affections towards the Uchiha brothers has been well received. So I'm pretty happy about that. A lot of people are curious about Itachi as well. He will be making an appearance soon. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation** : I did put a brief description of Suigetsu. While I don't feel that it was particularly exotic, it might be more exotic than some are comfortable with. It is not vital to the plot. Warnings were put up before and after it. So it is up to you, if you want to read it or not.

 **Viewer's Choice:** How exotic do you want merman biology to be? Would you prefer mermen to be in human form, mostly human form, or stay completely mythological, while coupling? Majority will rule.

Chapter Two

"Sasuke, calm down. It's not that bad. I mean there are worse things you could turn into." Naruto tries to reassure his friend, a few hours later.

Sasuke was currently pacing. The blonde wasn't sure if the raven haired college student was going to have an actual panic attack or not. Clearly, his best friend really needed his help at the moment. Unfortunately, the blue eyed jock was at a loss for how to help him.

"Not that bad?! Naruto, I'm turning into a fucking fish!" Sasuke hisses at him.

"Well half a fish actually. I mean your top half should still stay human, I think. It's your lower half that I would be worried about. I wonder if your other tail is still going to be there." The blonde muses.

That was the wrong thing to say. Sasuke shoots him a glare so icy, that Naruto was sure it would have frozen Hell over. He shivers. Damn that was glacial.

"Oh great. I'm turning into HALF of a fish. That makes me feel so much better and thanks for bringing that last part up!" The Uchiha snarls at him.

"Sorry. Sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out anymore than you already are. Sasuke, I don't really know what to say. I mean if you were having trouble with your boyfriend or school, I'd know what to say. If you were feeling blue or sick, I'd know what to say. But this was not covered in the Best Friend Handbook!" The blue eyed college student exclaims.

Sasuke sighs. He knew that it was wrong to snap at Naruto. None of this was his fault. The blonde was trying to help him, but he just felt so helpless. He was turning into a mythological creature! What was he supposed to do?

"You're right. This isn't covered in the handbook. I'm sorry." Sasuke mutters as he glance at his door.

After finding out that he was a merman, he ran off to his room. Naruto had followed him. Sasuke had locked the door behind him immediately. He wasn't ready to face his parents or the rest of the world yet.

What was he even supposed to say to them? They had kept this secret from him his whole life. On one hand, he understood. Even if they had told him, he probably wouldn't have believed them until he started seeing scales on his legs. On the other hand, how could Mikoto and Fugaku do this to him?! How could they leave him so completely unprepared for whatever was happening to him?!

"It's cool. You are going through a lot now. So what'd you do at the nurse's office? You said your body temperature was really low and your heart rate was up. How'd you explain that?" Naruto asks.

"I broke the thermometers' tips when Sakura wasn't looking. I told her that I had been practicing for State. Strenuous exercise was enough to explain why my heart was beating so fast. Though even that was pushing it. So I used that as an excuse and left." Sasuke mutters.

"Yeah. Good thinking. Sasuke, maybe you should talk to your parents some more. They sorta seem to know what is going on with you. Freaking out in your room isn't going to fix anything." The blonde offers.

Sasuke sighs. He knew that his friend was right. He SHOULD talk to his parents. The young swimmer just wasn't sure what he was going to say. What were THEY going to say?

So many questions were racing through his mind. How long did he have before he became a merman? Was he even going to be able to speak afterwards? Was his mind going to regress back to like fish intelligence or something? Where was he supposed to go after he transformed? Was the transformation painful? All of these questions and more raced across his mind, leaving him feeling almost dizzy with uncertainty.

"You're right, but I don't know what to say to them right now." Sasuke says with a heavy sigh.

"Maybe you should just let them do the talking then. They have a lot of explaining to do." Naruto suggests and Sasuke nods in agreement.

He bites his lower lip. That was true. He could just let his parents do all the talking. His adoptive parents. Sasuke was still processing the fact that apparently he didn't share any blood ties with his father and mother. The people who raised him weren't actually his biological parents. That was almost as surreal as becoming a merman.

"I think I'll do that. You might want to go for now. I kinda think they'll tell me more if they don't have an audience." He admits sheepishly.

"Yeah. No problem. Just give me a call whenever you're done. I mean you're a prissy bastard. But you're my prissy bastard. I'm here for you. It doesn't matter if you have feet or flippers to me!" Naruto says cheerfully and darts off.

Sasuke shakes his head. Only Naruto could find humor in this situation. He takes a deep breath and follows Naruto out of the room and into the living room. He got there just as his best friend was heading out the door.

"You better tell me everything you know." Sasuke says and his eyes flash red.

Mikoto covers her mouth in shock. She knew that he would change into a merman, but she hadn't expected his eye color to change. She wondered if he was even aware of it. The brunette couldn't help but feel relieved when they faded back to black almost immediately.

"As we said, he approached us one day. Izuna said that the process is a fairly slow one. It's not supposed to be physically painful. Your mind will stay human though, mostly. There will be some animal instincts. But overall, you'll be fully in control of yourself." Fugaku says.

"Well that's a relief at least." Sasuke mutters.

He was grateful that he wasn't going to turn into some half fish, with the mind of a shark or something. Sasuke silently breathes a sigh of relief. It looked like he was going to have some time to get used to this.

"Yes, this doesn't have to be a bad thing. You are going home really. I don't know if your father is still alive. We only met him once, but I know that you aren't the only merman out there." Fugaku says.

"I thought I was home. I don't know if that is supposed to make me feel better. I've never been that social to begin with and now you are telling me there are more…mermen and mermaids out there?" Sasuke demands.

"Well there have to be. If he was going to send someone to help you, we know he wasn't the only one of your kind." Mikoto reasons.

Sasuke couldn't believe this. How could his parents be discussing this so calmly? It was if they were talking about some animal documentary and not his life! What was wrong with them?!

"Right. How long do I have before I go full dolphin boy?" Sasuke hisses.

"It takes a lunar cycle. One month." His father tells him.

"A month." Sasuke repeats.

It was better than nothing. At least he would have time to say goodbye to his family and Naruto. He didn't know if he'd ever see any of them again after he became a merman. Well at least according to Fugaku, he'd keep his human mind. Maybe he would be able to keep in contact with them.

"That's something at least. I think I'm going to go for a walk and clear my head." Sasuke says as he bid farewell to his parents and heads to the beach.

Meanwhile in Atlantis, Itachi Uchiha was not pleased to say the least. It had been a year since he found out the truth. A year since he found out that he had a half-brother and his father had kept that a secret from him for the better part of two decades. Yet, still his father acted as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

Itachi smirks. His father had certainly underestimated him. As far as the merman could tell, Izuna had no idea that Itachi knew. He planned to keep it that way for awhile.

"Itachi, have you spoken with the Akatsuki to see if they wish to participate in the chariot racing this year?" Izuna asks.

"I have. It took some convincing, but they have agreed. They were rather reluctant to join in the festivities, after what happened last year." Came Itachi's reply.

Izuna nods approvingly. His eldest son certainly had a way with the Akatsuki. He knew why. Kisame was clearly fond of the merman. While relationships between mermen/maids and Akatsuki had happened in the past, they were fairly uncommon. It was considered such an exotic match, that it was borderline taboo.

"Yes, that was a rather unfortunate incident." Izuna concedes.

"Unfortunate?! Twenty mermen and 12 Akatsuki were injured because some hatchling insulted an Akatsuki's teeth." Itachi reminds him.

"Misunderstandings are bound to happen. What is important is that relations between our people are improving." His father chides him gently.

Itachi merely nods. It was important to keep up the appearance of being a good son. He used to be close to his father. He used to practically worship the water his father swam in. That was before HER.

Oh Itachi didn't have a problem with humans in general. Well at least no more than the average merman did. It was when a human completely seduced his father, that he had a problem.

"Come. Dinner should be ready and you know how hard the chefs work to prepare us such grand feasts. I believe they made lobster tonight. Your favorite." Izuna says with a small, offering Itachi his hand.

Itachi knew that it wasn't unheard of for mermen and mermaids to take a human as their lover. Surely, it was rare. Still while it was considered risky, there were no laws against it and the public was generally willing to tolerate such Matings.

No, what angered Itachi was that Izuna had left his mother for the human. Oh he had been honorable about it. Humans would have called it a divorce. Still it did sting to see a real mermaid passed over for a human.

"Well I do adore lobster." Itachi replies, taking his father's hand and swimming off to the dining hall with him.

He understand on some level. It had never been a love match. It was a marriage of political convenience. After Itachi's birth, they had grown estranged. The King and Queen only tolerated each other's presence during public events. That was all. Truthfully, he had known that his parents wouldn't have stayed together much longer, even if he never met the human. Still in Itachi's eyes, their relationship would never be the same again.

"What merman in their right mind, does not love lobster?" Izuna asks with a smile.

"True." Itachi concedes as he sits down to eat with his father.

Itachi considered himself to be a logical merman. He knew that it was not his half-brother's fault that his mother had seduced their father. He knew it wasn't the hatchling's doing that was responsible for their father being so…irresponsible.

At the moment, he didn't hold any real resentment towards the hybrid. He was curious to see how strong their bloodline ran through his veins. Would he be able to activate the Sharingan?

"You did well. I am glad that you have such an amiable relationship with the Akatsuki. That will serve you well when you become King." He states.

"Thank you, father." Itachi replies.

Izuna mentally sighs. He could feel the divide between Itachi and him growing by the day. They may only be a tail length apart in distance, but might as well been an entire ocean separating between them.

The merman was doing everything that he could to heal that divide between them. Unfortunately, it appeared nothing worked. He could only count his blessings that Itachi wasn't aware of Sasuke's existence at the moment. That would have only made things worse for them.

"You are most welcome, my son." He says.

By Neptune, that was going to be an awkward introduction. He had no idea how Itachi would react towards Sasuke. He feared that that the High Prince would lash out in a rage.

His younger son would be practically defenseless and only able to rely on gut instinct to defend himself, if that happened. That was why he knew that it was critical he handle this carefully. All would be well though. He had a plan.

Elsewhere Sasuke sighs and heads to the beach. He figured it was appropriate. That was where he had been found and all this craziness started. Besides, being around water had always been therapeutic for him. Now he knew why.

"Must be a dolphin." He muses to himself as he saw a fairly large splash in the distance.

He walks up and down the length of the beach. Sasuke didn't have a particular destination in mind. He just needed to do something. Pacing was better than sitting.

He was so distracted that he didn't notice the splashes were coming closer and closer. Sasuke was startled out of his daze, when he heard a voice call out to him. A male voice.

"You alright? You look a little lost." The voice says.

Sasuke looks up to see who was addressing him. He blinks at what he saw. There was a man about his age sitting on one of the larger rocks in the water. He was sitting in such a way, that the lower half of his body was covered by the water.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Sasuke replies.

The Uchiha glances at the concerned stranger. If Sasuke had to guess, he'd say the man was about his age. He had snowy white hair and ethereal looking violet eyes. Whoever he was, he was in good shape. You didn't get biceps or such a well sculpted chest, if you weren't. Those abs were rather nice as well.

"Liar. I can feel you brooding from way over here. Don't get me wrong, you are very sexy when you brood and all. But I prefer you in your natural state." Suigetsu says.

"My natural state? What are you talking about? I've never seen you before in my life." Sasuke demands.

He knew that his tone was more biting than it should have been. The man's manner of speaking was odd. It was half scientific and half modern. Mr. Bedroom Eyes, hadn't said anything that provocative. Still after the day that Sasuke had, he was in no mood to deal with the cryptic introduction. (No matter how hot the guy was.)

"Sorry. That was my bad. I should have introduced myself. My name is Suigetsu. We went to the same high school. I wanted to try out for the swim team, but I was a transfer student at the end of Senior Year. By the time I got there, the team was already full. So I just went to the matches. You don't know me. But I recognize you from the competitions." Suigetsu says.

"Oh. That was rotten luck. Nice to officially meet you." Sasuke says.

It was odd. Sasuke definitely would have remembered seeing someone that looked like Suigetsu around. Still he hadn't been very social in high school, outside of the swim team and Suigetsu did say he was a late transfer. So the story was plausible.

Something in Sasuke's gut was telling him that the handsome youth had just lied to him, but did it really matter? Who cared if the man had gone to high school with him or not? He should probably make up an excuse and leave, but curiosity made him stay.

"And what is my natural state?" Sasuke asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Sassy, proud, and most of the time you are a loner. That last part isn't really your fault though. You just haven't found your kind of…people yet." Suigetsu says.

 _"You just haven't found your kind of…people yet."_ There was something about the way that Suigetsu hesitated to say people that struck a cord with Sasuke. He glances at him again. White hair and violet eyes. Just like yesterday, it hadn't been an illusion after all.

"Were you at the beach yesterday?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh you saw me. Damn good eyesight considering that you're… well you were really far away." Suigetsu observes.

He barely managed to catch himself in time. The white haired merman had almost said, _"Damn good eyesight considering that you're a human."_ Thankfully, he had caught himself just in time. It was still too early for Sasuke to know yet. He didn't want to scare the other man away.

"Are you stalking me or something?" Sasuke growls.

"Or something." Suigetsu replies.

The violet eyed man was sorta stalking Sasuke. But he wasn't doing it in the creepy way that the human thought he was. He was Sasuke's guide. He was supposed to watch him.

"Whatever it's been a really long day. I'm gonna head home. I'm not really in the mood for mind games." Sasuke mutters as he turns to head off.

"What about sex games?" Suigetsu asks cheerfully.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

Something inside him snapped. He had just found out he was adopted and turning into a merman. Now he had some stranger that was possibly stalking him and hitting on him. Granted, the stranger was hot. But still Sasuke had had enough.

"THA'TS IT!" Sasuke growls and he dashes into the water, swimming straight at the rock.

Well swimming might have been a bit of an understatement. It was more like Sasuke lunged into the water. He quickly scales onto the rock and was about to introduce Suigetsu's face to his fist, when his hand touched something scaly underneath the water.

At first he thought it was a fish, but the fish didn't move. If it was an animal, it would have been startled and swum off. It was also…big. Like shark sized. Panicking he gets on top of the rock.

"I think there's a fucking shark down there! I felt something scaly." Sasuke exclaims.

Suigetsu rubs the back of his head sheepishly. Oh boy. He was going to have to come up with an excuse fast and turn his tail to legs quick. Maybe he could claim it was an eel?

That's when Sasuke noticed his necklace. The hybrid's eyes widened in recognition. Suigetsu blinks. So someone must have told him.

"It wasn't a shark, was it?" Sasuke whispers.

"No. That was my tail. I was going to break all of this more gently to you. I guess your parents must have told you. Well that's good. It makes this a little less dramatic for you." He muses.

Sasuke blinks. This was apparently his guide. Well he supposed if you had to find out you were secretly a merman and get a guide, it was nice that someone had decided to send him a hot guide.

"Yeah. Um thanks for trying to be considerate, but they kinda told me earlier today. It's been a crazy couple of days." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"I know it's probably a lot to process right now, but in a month or two you'll be much happier. You don't really belong with the two leggers and you know that. Deep down." Suigetsu says and he places his hand over where Sasuke's heart was.

Sasuke wanted to argue that point. He wanted to yell and scream at the other man. He was HUMAN. Well at least half human. What right did this stranger have to say where he belonged or didn't belong?! But he couldn't do it. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he knew that Suigetsu was right.

"Maybe." He mutters.

"You don't have to look like you've just be diagnosed with a terminal disease. It's a gift, Sasuke. You're about to be introduced to a whole new world. One that is far more beautiful than anything they have on land. You'll see. Don't worry. I'll help you through it." He promises.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. That was rather arrogant. The land could be damn beautiful. He had seen pictures of corral reefs and things like that. They were stunning. But it was just arrogant to say that one was necessarily better than the other. At best, that was just Suigetsu's opinion. Which he was entitled to, but Sasuke felt like he had to defend his home.

"It's beautiful here as well." He protests.

"I know that the land can be beautiful, but a merman or mermaid can't resist the Ocean's Call. Doesn't matter if they are a hybrid or not." The white haired man informs him.

Sasuke glances down at the bottom of the rock. Suigetsu's tail was still completely covered in the water. If he didn't know any better, he would say the man he was talking to was completely human. If he was going to become a merman, he should at least know what he was going to look like.

"Can I…see your tail? I'm going to get one too, right?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah. You are going to get one and of course. You can see as much of me as you like." Suigetsu says and the Uchiha didn't miss the obvious innuendo.

He vaguely wonders if all mermen were such outrageous flirts. Maybe Suigetsu was just doing it to distract him. Sasuke decides it didn't really matter at the moment. He had some investigating to do.

"Just your tail is good for now." Sasuke says.

"Alright." Suigetsu says as he brings his tail out of the water and rests it on the large rock.

Sasuke blinks. It was huge. His tail was probably a foot longer than most people's legs were. It was made of enchanting light green scales. His flippers were such a pale shade of green, that they were almost translucent. It was beautiful. There was a matching flipper like material that framed the bottom of his waist, above his tail that was also the same shade. Maybe that was the merman version of a belt.

"Wow. Is mine going to be green as well?" Sasuke asks.

"It might be. Tail color for our people is like hair color for yours. It varies. Your father has a black tail. That doesn't necessarily mean you will, but I would imagine your tail is going to be darker than mine." Suigetsu says.

"My father. Is he still…alive?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah. He's still alive. Once you are fully transformed, I'll take you to him. Well if you want to. It's obviously optional." Suigetsu answers in a rush.

Sasuke nods. He bites his lower lip and his brows furrow deeply in thought. Did he want to meet his father? Hadn't he abandoned him? Why didn't he keep in touch?

"Our kind can't go on land for more than a few hours. It was easier for you to be raised as a human. Children tend to talk a lot. If you told anyone that your father was a merman, they'd think you were crazy or they would try to capture him." Suigetsu explains.

"Oh. I guess it makes sense when you put it like that." Sasuke concedes.

"He does want to meet you." Suigetsu assures him.

"That's good. Can I…touch it?" He asks.

Suigetsu smirks. Suddenly, Sasuke wished he had phrased that better. The merman's mind had clearly wandered straight to the gutter.

"Your tail!" Sasuke clarifies.

"Which one?" Suigetsu taunts him with an amused smirk.

"Your tail with scales. Not that one. Wait…not to get too personal, but it's kinda been a concern. My father obviously impregnated someone. So you MUST have something…" Sasuke trails off.

Suigetsu manages not to laugh. It was a close call though. The little prince was asking if his crowned jewels would still be there.

"Yes, we have something. I think our something is better than humans' actually, but that's just my opinion. Go ahead. You can touch me anywhere you want, anytime you want." Suigetsu says.

"You are such a pervert." Sasuke mutters as he glides his hand over the green scales.

It was strange. So reptilian, yet silky at the same time. That's when he heard a rumbling sound. It took him a minute to realize that Suigetsu was purring or something close to it.

"I t-ake it that feels good?" Sasuke stammers, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Yeah. Really good. Not to oversimplify things, but it's no more different than how a cat or dog would enjoy being petted or humans like being caressed." Suigetsu says.

 **Warning Exotic Description**

Sasuke nods. He continues running his hands along the length of Suigetsu's tail. He marveled at the texture. That's when he felt a bugle over where a human male's "tail" would be. A really fucking big bulge.

"Are you…turned on by this?!" Sasuke asks.

"Like I said, it feels good. Don't worry, Sassy. Once you get your tail, I'll definitely return the favor." He promises, his voice full of seduction.

Sasuke gulps. Shit. He had possibly just given a merman an erection. Sasuke vaguely wondered if maybe the tail was functioning as pants. Maybe he really did have something under those scales and they could be parted or something. He wanted to ask, but decides to save that for another day. He didn't want to give Suigetsu the wrong idea.

 **End of Exotic Description**

"What'd you call me?" Sasuke asks, after Suigetsu called him Sassy when Sasuke finished petting him.

"Sassy. It suits you." Suigetsu says and caresses the hybrid's cheek.

"Great. A merman just gave me a nickname. Could this day get any weirder?" Sasuke mutters.


	3. Chapter 3

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. Well it looks like everyone wants Itachi to give Sasuke the cold shoulder at first and then makeup later. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Current Viewers' Choice Results:** So far everyone is interested either in full on mythological lemons or semi mythological lemons. Feel free to keep weighing in on that if you desire. This is going to be tough call.

 **Chapter Notation:** The standard choice would have been Sakura, but I threw in a curveball. Yes, Naruto is getting a love interest.

Chapter three

Sasuke couldn't believe how strange his life had gotten in only a couple of days. First of all, he was adopted. That he could have handled. Then he found out that his father was a merman. Not only that, but he was going to transform into one as well! Yeah, that was a much bigger mountain to climb. Oh and that was just for starters.

"Why shouldn't I give you a nickname? Humans do it. I thought it might make you more comfortable, if I acted a bit like a human." Suigetsu asks in a baffled voice.

"It's not the fact that you gave me a nickname, exactly. It's the fact that none of this should be happening! Mermaids aren't supposed to be real. You're supposed to be a fairytale! You shouldn't exist. I shouldn't be turning into a fish!" Sasuke exclaims.

Suigetsu just shakes his head. Well Sasuke was taking this better than expected. Most hybrids tried to deny it was happening. Some ran away in terror. Many though that they had gone crazy. Sasuke was at least trying to understand what was happening to him.

"First of all, I'm a merman. If you can't tell the difference between a merman and a mermaid, I'd be more than happy to show you." Suigetsu says with a smirk.

Sasuke tries his best not to gape at Suigetsu. He had known the man for all of twenty minutes, but he already knew enough to tell that such a reaction would only encourage him. The _merman_ seemed to get off on being deliberately provocative.

"No. No. It's fine. Mermaids AND merman shouldn't exist. You are supposed to be a myth!" Sasuke insists.

"You sure? Because if you go back to petting my tail like that, I could show you the difference really easily. It'd be educational." The violet eyed merman continues as his eyes dance with mischief.

"I'm sure!" Sasuke snaps at him.

Suigetsu smirks. It was fun to tease his Sassy. He never thought that the prince would be so shy. This was going to be entertaining.

"You don't have to be so shy, Sassy. Relax. You are really good at tail stroking by the way." The white haired man offers.

"If I had known that it was the merman version of a hand job, I wouldn't have done it!" Sasuke protests.

"It's not. Well at least most of the time, it's not. It depends where you put your hands." Suigetsu informs him.

Sasuke turns away. He was trying to hide his face. He just hoped that he wasn't blushing. He could at least take some small comfort in the fact that if he was, Suigetsu wasn't going to see it.

"Good to know. I kinda need some time to process this. I'll be back though. When would be a good time to meet you? Do mermen even know how to tell time like a human?" He asks.

"Yes, we do. How about 10 AM, tomorrow? Your first class ends at nine, right? So that should give you plenty of time to get here." Suigetsu suggests.

Sasuke blinks. The merman knew his fucking class schedule?! But how could he possibly know that? His campus was way too far from the water's edge for the merman to get there.

"Yeah. Ten is good, but how did you know that about my schedule?" Sasuke asks.

"I have a friend. Animals love him, especially birds. They don't mind doing a little surveillance for him. It's an easy way to keep tabs on you. I had to make sure you where safe until you came of age, somehow." The merman replies.

"You were spying on me and your friend talks to animals?!" Sasuke demands.

Suigetsu sighs. Well he supposed in a way, he had been spying. Still he didn't want Sassy to be mad at him. That would probably mean no more tail jobs.

"Only to make sure you were safe and yeah, he does. It's Jugo's talent. We all have one." Suigetsu says.

Sasuke blinks. His talent? Was Suigetsu trying to say that mermen and mermaids had super powers? Well at least one super power, anyway?

"What's your talent then? You said every merman and mermaid have one." Sasuke asks curiously.

"You mean besides being a Sex God?" Suigetsu asks with a smirk.

"You are really full of yourself! Yes, besides that!" Sasuke snaps at him.

"I don't know if I should tell you. It might freak you out more. Like you said, you are still processing everything. I'll see you tomorrow, Sassy." He says smugly.

Sasuke twitches. Damn him. He rolls his eyes. Whatever. He'd find out sooner or later. Besides, he couldn't let the merman know that he was really curious to find out what he could do. That would only make him even more cocky.

"Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow then. Try not to become shark food in the meantime. I kinda need you around, at least until I become a merman." Sasuke says as he heads off.

"Hey, you should be more worried about the sharks than me!" Suigetsu protests.

Suigetsu casts one last look back at Sasuke's retreating form and then swims off. He'd see Sassy tomorrow. Well it was a good start. He did get a brief tail job out of it. A little too brief really, but it was something!

He swims back to his home. It was a sunken ship that he was fond of. He shared it with another merman. The same merman that he had mentioned to Sasuke. Jugo was his shipmate. (It was like a roommate, but on a ship.)

"How'd it go?" The large merman asks.

"Well better than expected. He already knew about being a hybrid. His parents told him. So he wasn't as terrified or angry as I thought he was going to be. I even got him to touch my tail and we are going to meet tomorrow." Suigetsu says smugly.

Jugo shakes his head. He really hoped that Suigetsu hadn't used the situation to have Sasuke unknowingly touch him intimately. Then he saw the look on his friend's face. Yes, that was exactly what his friend had done.

"Please tell me, that you didn't actually have him give you a tail job?" The orange haired merman asks with a sigh.

"Alright. I won't tell you. It didn't last long. He figured out what was going on pretty quick. He's smart." Suigetsu observes.

Jugo shakes his head and swishes his white tail in disbelief. Only Suigetsu. Yes, he knew that his friend had a soft spot for Izuna's youngest hatchling, but this was ridiculous.

"That's not really a good way to establish trust between you and your charge. You have to know that." He points out.

"I know. I just couldn't resist. He's really good with his hands too!" The violet eyed merman points out.

Oh boy. This was worse than he thought. He wasn't really sure how Izuna would react to this. Suigetsu clearly had a strong attraction to Sasuke. It might even be more than just lust. Jugo wasn't sure. He just knew that his flirtatious shipmate had never fixated on anyone this long before.

"Suigetsu, if you are really serious about him…you should speak to the King about it first. I'm not sure how Izuna would feel about his hatchling, being pursued before he even finds his sea legs. Well sea tail." He warns him.

"Yeah. You're right. I'm just not sure how to break the news to daddy dearest. Oh you know your hybrid son? Well I really like him. I would like nothing better than to throw his fine tail onto a bed of kelp and have my way with him all night long. Don't worry though. I'll take REALLY good care of him and make sure enjoys it just as much as I will. That's not a problem, is it?" Suigetsu practices.

Jugo shakes his head. His lips twitch upwards in amusement. If nothing else, you could always count on the other merman to say whatever was on his mind. It didn't matter how crude it was.

"I would probably leave out the part about ravishing him. How do you know he has a fine tail though? He hasn't transformed yet, has he?" Jugo asks.

"He hasn't transformed yet. I know because look at the rest of him." Suigetsu replies smugly.

"Well you made it pretty obvious that you like him. How'd he respond. Does he even like mermen? He might prefer mermaids." Jugo inquires.

"Well he was pretty flustered. But I could tell that it was a mutual attraction." The white haired merman replies.

Jugo just nods his head. He wasn't sure. It was Suigetsu after all. He had never been one to lack confidence. The orange haired man almost felt sorry for the young prince.

Suigetsu was the most persistent person he had ever met. Once he got an idea into his head, he never gave up. Apparently his current idea was to get Sasuke on his back in a pile of kelp and claim him repeatedly.

Meanwhile Itachi had finished dinner with his father. He swims off to find Kisame. Kisame was an Akatsuki, but that had never mattered to the High Prince of Atlantis. The blue skinned merman always kept his word and that was what was most important.

"Did you find anything out about my dear half-brother?" He asks Kisame.

"I know that he has to be close to transforming. The kid is an adult now. Suigetsu is watching him rather closely. That and apparently he's panting after him. Kid has it bad. Really bad. I can't blame him. He's a dead ringer for Izuna." The Akatsuki replies.

Itachi tries to squash down the jealousy that he felt rising. Kisame was attracted to the hybrid. That or he at least thought that he was attractive enough that he could understand why someone would find him desirable.

"Are you panting after him as well?" Itachi asks, trying to keep his voice casual.

"Oh don't get me wrong. He's got your family's classic good looks, but no. He's too green around the gills for me. Too young." Kisame informs him.

"Good. We would have a problem if you were lusting after my baby brother." Itachi warns Kisame.

Kisame couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure if Itachi was jealous or just protective of his relative. Either way it was a good sign. Though he did hope it was jealousy. That would mean Itachi wanted him on some level.

"Got it. It's cute that you are so protective of the hatchling. I mean I would have thought that you would hate his guts. You know, considering what happened with your mother and father." The blue skinned merman admits.

Itachi felt himself twitch. His ire wasn't directed at Kisame though. It was directed at his father. The eldest prince still couldn't believe that his father had fallen for a human over his own very beautiful mother. It didn't make any sense. Still he didn't hold that against Sasuke. One couldn't help who their parents were.

"At the moment, I carry no grudge against him. That can change, of course. I'm not the type of merman who would blame the hatchling for the actions of his or her parents." Itachi chides him gently.

"Great. Well I hope you two get along. I know that you aren't as close to your father as you used to be. Not that I blame you. If I was in your position, I would be pretty pissed off at my old man." Kisame says.

The other merman nods. Oh he was furious at Izuna. How could he keep Sasuke's existence a secret from him? It was bad enough that he divorced Itachi's mother and found another lover, but to keep his brother from him? That was unforgivable.

"Oh believe me, I am quite angry with him. Imagine the King of Atlantis couldn't even be bothered to tell his son, that he had a second son. It's madness. The fact that he has such a noble reputation only makes it worse." Itachi mutters with a sigh.

Kisame nods sympathetically. He pats Itachi on the shoulder in a consoling fashion. He did hate to see him upset. But at least it meant Itachi would spend more time with him and less than his father. So it wasn't all bad news.

"No one is perfect. We all have our faults. I know you put him up on a pedestal and so does most Atlantis. But he's just a merman, Itachi. Of course he's going to do something stupid at least once or twice in his life. Maybe the hatchling will be a good ally for you to have when you become King someday. This doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing." Kisame counsels him.

Itachi nods. Kisame was right. This situation could be turned to his advantage. It all depended on what his baby brother was like.

"You said his guide is attracted to him. Does it appear to be mutual?" The prince asks.

"I don't know. As far as I know, Suigetsu hasn't told him how he feels about him yet or made contact. I don't even know if he is interested in mermaids or mermen to be honest." He replies.

"I see. Unfortunate. More information is needed before we can make any real judgments. I did save you some lobster though." Itachi states and hands the blue skinned man one.

Kisame smiles. Itachi wasn't his mate, yet. But he still had the instincts of one. Whether you were an Akatsuki or a "typical" mermaid/man, one of your strongest instincts was to see to your Mate's well being. This included making sure they were properly fed.

"Thanks. You're the best." He says as he bites into his lobster with his sharp teeth.

Elsewhere, Sasuke rushes back to his door. He needed to talk to someone. He knew that Naruto would be back in their dorm by now. Well at least he hoped that was the case.

When Sasuke walked in, he got an eyeful. Naruto was making out with some girl and she was only in her lingerie. Judging by the way his hands were wandering and she was moaning, the lingerie wasn't going to stay on long.

"Shit! I'm sorry! You should have put a sign on the door or something." Sasuke says as he heads towards the door.

"It's alright. Temari, this is Sasuke. He's my roommate and best friend. Sasuke, this is Temari. She's my new girlfriend." Naruto chimes happily.

"Nice to meet you. Sorry about that. If I had known Naruto had company over…" Sasuke trails off.

Temari just shrugs. It was sweet how flustered Sasuke was about walking in on them. It would be one thing if he had arrived a few minutes later, but she was still covered enough that she wasn't too worried about it.

"Nice to meet you too. Damn. Pity you are gay. I have a lot of friends who would just love to have a piece of you." She says with a smile.

"Thanks. I think. I'll talk to you later, Naruto." Sasuke says as he edges towards the door.

"Nah. It's okay. Temari, you don't mind if I talk to Sasuke, do you? He's been kinda having some family troubles lately." Naruto asks.

She tilts her head curiously. She wondered what kind of family troubles the handsome swim team captain could be having. She blinks. Maybe he had just come out of the closet to his family. Yeah, that must be it.

"I don't mind at all. I'll see you tomorrow. Meet me in the cafeteria for lunch?" She asks and Naruto nods.

"Wouldn't miss it." He says and watches as his girlfriend gets dressed and leaves.

"So what happened? You look pretty freaked out and I don't think it was just because you saw me making out with Temari." Naruto says.

Sasuke sighs. How could he even begin to explain what had just happened to him? He just knew that he needed to talk to someone about his very weird day. That someone was going to be Naruto.

"Well I talked to my parents for a bit. They basically said I'm turning into a merman in a month. I have a guide who is going to help me make the transition. It looks like my mind is going to stay mostly human, at least. So that's a relief…" He begins.

Naruto nods. Yeah, he had been worried about that. What if Sasuke's mind just became like a fish, dolphin's, or shark's. Then he would lose his best friend!

"Yeah. That's good. So then what happened?" His friend asks.

"I went to the beach. I figured a walk might clear my head a bit. That's when someone called out to me. A guy was sitting on the rocks. I couldn't see below his waist, it was covered by water…" Sasuke continues.

Naruto blinks. Uh oh. The blonde was pretty sure he knew where this was going. He gestures for Sasuke to continue with his tale.

"So we got to talking. He gave me some bullshit line about being from our high school. He knew me because he watched our high school swim team compete. He said that I was brooding and that wasn't like me. Gave me some nickname. He knew me a little too well. That's when I felt something against my legs. At first I thought it was a fish or even a shark…" Sasuke says.

"What was it?" Naruto asks with baited breath.

"It was his fucking tail. I saw the necklace on him. My guide was supposed to wear a symbol to let me know it was him. That's when he confessed. We talked and…some other stuff for a bit." The raven haired college students states and tries to hide his blush.

It didn't work though. Naruto saw it. The blonde was totally going to call his friend on the fact that he was blushing. Sasuke NEVER blushed.

"Some other stuff like what? Was he hot? He must have been hot. You are blushing." The blue eyed youth demands.

"He let me touch his tail. He was alright…" Sasuke mutters.

"He was alright? That's Sasukese for he was a fucking supermodel and I want to jump his bones! Well maybe gills is more accurate in this case. Does he have gills?" Naruot asks curiously.

Sasuke shakes his head. No, he hadn't seen gills. He had looked perfectly human other than the tail.

"Not that I saw. Alright. Alright. Yeah, he was hot. He was also the biggest pervert that I have ever met in my life." Sasuke grumbles.

"What do you mean by he was the biggest pervert that you've ever met? What'd he do? What'd he say?" The jock asks curiously.

"Well I asked him if I could touch his tail. He said I could. I started to touch it. Suigetsu started making this purring sound. After awhile, I noticed there was this really big bulge forming around where his crotch should have been. That fucking pervert was getting a merman erection! Apparently, he totally conned me into giving him a hand job, well tail job. I didn't even realize what was going on." The Uchiha confesses.

Naruto blinks. Whoa. Weird stuff kept happening to Sasuke. He got tricked into giving a merman a hand job. Damn and he thought he was being pretty bad ass because he had just landed a hot blonde for his new girlfriend and was working on getting towards second base.

"You gave a merman…a hand job." Naruto repeats in disbelief.

"Yes! But I didn't know what I was doing. It doesn't count. Shit! I can't believe that not only am I turning into a merman, but my guide is a complete pervert. He'll probably try to frisk me against the corral or something." Sasuke mutters.

"Well maybe that's not a bad thing. You haven't really dated much, even after you came out. If anyone needs to get laid. It's definitely you." His friend teases him.

That was too much for Sasuke. He was at his limit for the day. He grabs a pillow and smacks Naruto with it hard. The blonde was his best friend, but sometimes Sasuke wondered if he couldn't function without getting smacked upside the head at least once a day or something.

"You are such a pervert. Sorry about cockblocking you though. You really should get a sign or something." Sasuke mutters.

"Yeah. Probably a good idea for my next roommate. I mean, you can't really stay here after you are a merman." Naruto says.

The two of them go quiet. They both knew in their heads that Sasuke was going to be leaving soon, but neither had actually broached the subject so bluntly before. Now they were finally starting to realize this was actually happening.

"I hope whoever you get after me, doesn't mind that you are a loudmouth who is obsessed with ramen." Sasuke says with a smirk as he attempts to lighten the mood.

"You really are such a bastard. Maybe my next roommate will be nicer!" Naruto growls.

"Doubt it. You get on almost everyone's nerves. Wonder how long Temari will be able to put up with your sorry ass?" Sasuke continues taunting him.

The two of them start wrestling. It was just like old times. For a few minutes, Sasuke forgot about what was really happening to him. He forgot that he was going to be a merman soon. He was just another college student, screwing around with his buddy.

That's when Sasuke noticed that Temari had left behind a purple necklace. It was the exact same shade as Suigetsu's eyes. Everything came crashing back at once.

"It's really happening, isn't it?" Sasuke whispers.

"Yeah. It's really happening. I always knew you were weird. But I didn't think you were THIS weird. Though I guess it does explain a lot. You've always been such a really fast swimmer…" Naruto says.

That was true. It did explain a lot. It explained why Sasuke felt more comfortable in the water than out of it. It explained why he constantly felt like a fish out of water. He literally WAS a fish out of water. (Well sorta.)

"Gee thanks. That makes me feel so much better. Well at least I know that Temari will be around to give you your daily beating. It seems like you can't function without it." Sasuke observes.

"You really are such a bastard sometimes!" Naruto grumbles.

He knew that Sasuke was just trying to make him feel better. He might be losing his best friend. Well maybe not. Sasuke did say he'd have mostly a human mind. That was something, right? Maybe they would still be able to see each other. At least he hoped that was the case.

"I know. Whatever happens Naruto, I want you to know that you might be the world's biggest loser, but you are really good friend." Sasuke whispers.

"Shit! Now I know you are in trouble. You've gone all mushy on me. You never do mushy." The blonde exclaims and Sasuke just rolls his eyes at his friend.


	4. Chapter 4

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note** : Thanks for the reviews. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.

 **Chapter Warnings:** You are probably going to hate Itachi this chapter. Everyone has been asking me to make him hostile towards Sasuke. So the moral of the story is be careful what you wish for. There is a lime flavored scene. I'm not sure it really counts as a lime. But I felt because of the sensual mythological aspects, it deserved a warning.

Chapter Four

The next day, Sasuke goes to the beach after class to meet with Suigetsu. He bit his lower lip as he looks around for the merman. He still couldn't believe this was happening. Still he supposed he should be grateful that at least he had a month to get used to the idea that he was going to become a merman.

"Sassy!" The merman calls out from a few yards away and Sasuke just shakes his head at the nickname.

Sasuke decides at that moment that it was futile to resist the nickname. The merman was bound and determined address him as Sassy for God knows what reason. The Uchiha figures that was probably the least weird thing about Suigetsu actually. Besides, he was sure the other man could have come up with something far worse than Sassy.

"Hey. Can you come a little closer. It's kinda awkward to shout at you from far away." Sasuke points out.

"You should come closer. After all, you are going to be living in the ocean soon. Come on, Sassy. I don't bite. Well I might nip or nibble, but never bite." Suigetsu assures him.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

Once again he wondered if all mermen were such outrageous flirts or if it was a Suigetsu thing. Speaking of that, that was an interesting question to ponder. The white haired merman was either gay or bisexual. Was that normal for mermen and mermaids? Sasuke was gay and Suigetsu was clearly after his ass. Maybe homosexuality was the norm for their kind?

"Come on. I know damn well that you can swim." Suigetsu calls out.

Sasuke sighs. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He takes off his shoes. The college student tugs off his shirt and pants, stripping down to his boxers. He wasn't going to get most of his clothes wet and he hadn't brought trunks with him. (In hindsight, he probably should have.)

"Loving the Scale Tease." The violet eyed merman says.

"I don't even want to know what that is supposed to mean." Sasuke mutters as he heads into the water and soon swims over to Suigetsu's side.

"So in all seriousness, what are your symptoms so far?" He asks.

The raven haired college student crosses his arms over his chest defensively. Oh this was going to be fun. He was _playing doctor_ with a merman. A merman who wanted to frisk him.

"Scales showed up on my legs, but they go away if they aren't wet. My temperature matches my surroundings. My heart rate is just high enough that it's cause for concern." Sasuke mutters.

"Yeah. That's about what I figured. So out of curiosity what color were the scales?" Suigetsu asks.

Sasuke eyes Suigetsu warily. He had no idea if scale color actually meant something or not. God only knows if this was some sort of merman pick up line. Maybe it was like asking someone, _"What's your major?"_

"Midnight blue. Though some of the scales look dark purple or black if the light hits them the right way." Sasuke says.

"Your tail is going to look so sexy on you." The mischievous merman proclaims.

"Does tail color matter? Like is it liked to your talent or something?" The Uchiha asks, deciding to ignore the sexy comment.

"It's not linked to your talent. It doesn't actually mean anything. It's like how human hair color varies. I just think that coloration will look hot on you, but then again so would almost anything else. Except pink. That wouldn't be a good look for you." Suigetsu says sagely.

Sasuke blinks. Pink was a fucking possibility?! Thank God he had gotten RESPECTABLE colors. His masculine pride would not be able to endure having a pink tail. He would probably try to dye it, if he had been cursed in such a fashion.

"What colors can tails be in?" He asks curiously.

"Pretty much any color you can think of. Your old man has black, like I said earlier. Itachi took after him. He has black but he also has some red scales. They look like clouds really." Suigetsu muses.

Sasuke tilts his head. Who was Itachi? It sounded like there were a lot of mermen and mermaids out there.

"I see. Who the fuck is Itachi by the way?" Sasuke demands and Suigetsu gulps.

Oh that was different. He hadn't known Suigetsu very long, but he got the impression not much rattled him. The white haired merman definitely looked rattled now.

"I shouldn't have said that. I don't really think it's my place to tell you about him. It just kinda slipped out. It might be better if you forget you heard me say that. It'd be better at least for now." His guide pleads.

"No. I want to know." Sasuke insists.

"Sasuke, it's really not a good idea. It's not my place. I think Izuna should explain this to you." Suigetsu continues.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Izuna apparently had something to do with Itachi. Itachi must have been bad news, if Suigetsu was skittish about even telling Sasuke who he was. Oh well. He wasn't above fighting dirty, if he had to.

"Alright. What if I said that I would give you a tail job, if you tell me who Itachi is?" The college student inquires.

Suigetsu shivers. Damn, the prince did not fight fair. How the fuck was he supposed to say no to THAT?

"That's fighting dirty, Sassy." He grumbles.

"Maybe. It's an equitable exchange though. You tell me something I want to know and I do something you want." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"Alright. Alright. You aren't Izuna's only child. You're his youngest. Itachi is your older half-brother. Unlike you, he was born a merman. His mother is a mermaid." The white haired man explains.

Sasuke blinks. He had a brother?! Well a half-brother, but still?! Did Itachi know about him?

"Is there anything else that I should know? I don't know how many more bombshells that I can take! First, I find out that my father was a merman. Then I find out I'm turning into one. Next, my guide turns out to be a pervert. Now, I have a fucking half-brother that I never knew about." Sasuke demands.

"Well there is one other thing. Maybe that should wait though. You are kinda in a bad mood and I don't want to spring it on you, when you are already pissed off." Suigetsu says.

Sasuke twitches. Oh Hell no. He was going to get this over with. Whatever it was, he wanted to know now. Not later, _**NOW!**_

"Suigetsu." He says warningly.

"Okay. Okay. Your dad is kinda the King of Atlantis." He says.

"WHAT?!" Sasuke asks and falls over in shock.

It was a good thing that Suigetsu had such quick reflexes. He was able to catch Sasuke before he fell. Still it was a close call.

"Yeah. I told you that it might be better to save that one for later. You alright, Sassy?" Suigetsu asks in concern.

Sasuke blinks. He was a prince. He was a prince of Atlantis. Atlantis existed and apparently was inhabited by mermen and mermaids. This was like something out of a fantasy novel or a sci fi movie. What the fuck?

"Sassy?" Suigetsu tries again, noticing that Sasuke appeared to be going into shock.

"Yeah. I think so. Well maybe. It's a lot to take in. Thanks for catching me. You can let me go now though." The dark haired college student says.

"I don't know. I kinda like you right where you are." He says with a grin.

Sasuke twitches. This had to be the most perverted merman on the planet! Was there never going to be five minutes where Suigetsu wasn't trying to seduce him?

"I'm a prince. I'm surprised you aren't worried that I'm going to send you to the dungeon or something." Sasuke mutters.

"Dungeon? That's pretty kinky. Which one of us is going to be the one who gets chained up?" He asks.

"You are unbelievable!" The young prince hisses at him in frustration.

"Says the guy that promised me a tail job, if I told him what I wanted to know." Suigetsu volleys back.

Sasuke felt his face heating up. Well that was true. Yeah, he had walked right into that one. But still if he was a prince, he should be getting a little bit more respect!

"Speaking of that, a promise is a promise. Is there somewhere more private we can go? What if someone wanders onto the beach and sees your tail?" Sasuke points out.

"Yeah. I know a place. Think you can keep up?" Suigetsu asks with a smirk.

"Please. Apparently I was born to be in the sea." Sasuke mutters.

"That's my Sassy." Suigetsu says and he swims off before the young prince could protest that little declaration.

Sasuke grumbles and darts off after him. Fuck Suigetsu was fast. He swam just like a dolphin.

He was having a hard time keeping up. Sasuke manages to keep that green tail in sight, somehow though. Eventually, they come to an island. Suigetsu sits at the water's edge.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Sasuke mutters as he sits next to Suigetsu and place his hand on the other man's tail.

 **Warning Lime Flavored Scene**

"You promised!" Suigetsu says cheerfully.

"Yeah, I did." Sasuke agrees and slowly glides his hand over where he had previously felt that bulge.

It was so reptilian, but silky at the same time. It was definitely a strange combination. Still it was a pleasant one. The merman soon begins purring again and it didn't take long for that bulge to start forming once more.

"Fuck Sassy, you are a natural at this." His companion sighs in satisfaction.

By Neptune that felt good. So fucking good. Sasuke's hands were like silky and so warm against his scales. His touch was gentle, yet the largeness of his hands added an air of dominance to the gesture.

"Thanks. So I was wondering…" Sasuke trails off as he glides his hand over the bulge.

"Yeah? Go on. You can ask me anything you want. I'm your guide." Suigetsu reminds him.

"You've made it ridiculously clear that you are into me. Are all mermen into other mermen and is it the same for mermaids? I know my father must have liked women at least a little. Otherwise I wouldn't be here. Was he the exception?" Sasuke asks.

Suigetsu leans into Sasuke's touch more. He wanted him to rub just a little bit harder. He really was such a tease, even if it was unconsciously.

"Most mermaids and mermen will take lovers of either gender. If it comes down to it though, almost everyone leans more heavily one way or another. It's not like with humans were most people fit pretty neatly into one category or another. Me? I like both. I didn't really have a strong preference until I saw you." The white haired merman admits.

"That was actually…romantic in a way." Sasuke says as he rubs the bulge more and Suigetsu purrs loudly.

"You bring it out in me." Suigetsu says and he couldn't resist placing a kiss against Sasuke's lips.

Sasuke gasps in surprise. That was apparently all the invitation Suigetsu needed. He deepens the kiss and rolls over until he was laying on top of Sasuke. The Uchiha could feel the scaly tail against his legs as the waves lapped at them and Suigetsu continued seducing him with very talented tongue.

It was so surreal. Sasuke couldn't believe a merman was kissing him. But it did feel good. He felt himself moan into the kiss and begin to return it. He smiles into the kiss and runs his fingers through the other man's snowy white locks.

"You taste really good, like shrimp and oysters." Suigetsu muses after he breaks the kiss.

Before Sasuke could protest this outrageous assessment, Suigetsu began placing kisses along the pale column of his throat and over his shoulders. Sasuke sighs softly in pleasure. Nevermind. If Suigetsu wanted to delude himself into thinking he tasted like seafood, let him.

"Looks like I found one of your spots." Suigetsu says smugly and bites down lightly, sucking on his collarbone.

Sasuke was going to tell Suigetsu to, _"Fuck off."_ Instead though, he felt himself arching against the merman on top of him. It had never felt this intense before just to make out and neck a little. Was it because he was a merman, it was him, or both?

He decides he didn't care at the moment. He glides his hands over the other man's muscular back and kisses Suigetsu's neck. Sasuke was pleased to discover that his guide appeared to be just as sensitive to that as he was.

"S-uigetsu." He groans as he felt himself get more and more exciting.

Just being kissed by this merman that made it feel so incredibly _good!_ He didn't know it was possibly to get turned on this fast or for his dick to practically be humming with anticipation. It was like a gentle tide of pleasure was washing over him. That was until Suigetsu fucking bit him!

"Owe!" Sasuke mutters when Suigetsu bit just a little too hard.

That's when he looked at the white haired merman. His teeth were a lot sharper than they had been before. Suigetsu looks like he felt _guilty?_

 **End Lime Flavored Scene**

"Sorry. I got a little carried away. It's just your hand on my tail, your kisses, the necking, and well everything felt so good. It was hard not to respond. It's a merman thing. I'll explain it to you later." Suigetsu promises.

"I'm not sure I'm fond of the whole turning my neck into a chew toy thing. It's one thing to nibble. It's another to draw blood!" Sasuke growls at him.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched. Itachi had finally gotten the information out of Kisame. He didn't know why the Akatsuki had been holding out on him.

The blue skinned merman seemed to think it was better to wait until Sasuke completely transformed for them to met. As humans would say, _"Bullshit."_ Itachi had waited long enough to get a look at this mysterious baby brother of his.

"Is there a reason why you are practically molesting my baby brother on the beach?" Itachi demands.

The two of them had been so distracted by each other, that it was almost pathetically easy to sneak up on them. Well at least it looked like Sasuke had definitely consented to Suigetsu's affections. That was good. Otherwise Itachi would have had to murder the mischievous merman.

He might not know what he thought of Sasuke yet, but Sasuke was family. He was also of royal blood. There was no way that he would tolerate someone forcing their attentions onto him.

"Because he's gorgeous and likes it?" Suigetsu replies and turns around to face Itachi.

Sasuke blinks. He glances over Suigetsu's shoulder. He saw another merman. This one appeared to be a little bit older than Suigetsu. He had dark silky hair and crimson red eyes. His skin was sun kissed in a light tan and there were exotic markings on his face. The man in question had a lithe muscular build. His tail was black with red clouds on it.

 _"What colors can tails be in?"_ Sasuke remembered asking curiously.

 _"Pretty much any color you can think of. Your old man has black, like I said earlier. Itachi took after him. He has black but he also has some red scales. They look like clouds really."_ Suigetsu had answered him.

This merman had a black tail with red clouds on it. Sasuke didn't think for a second that was a coincidence. He also kinda looked like Sasuke.

"Yes, he does seem to be enjoying it. Well if the sounds he was making are any indication. However, I wonder if your little hybrid would be so pleased if he knew that you had almost marked him." Itachi taunts Suigetsu.

"He almost what?" Sasuke asks.

Oh now that was just precious. His baby brother was completely innocent. He still couldn't actually see his brother because Suigetsu was blocking his view. But the confusion in his voice was priceless.

"He almost Marked you. Mermen and mermaids can bite each other on the neck, when their teeth sharpen in arousal and claim each other. It's our version of exchanging wedding rings. Of course it goes much deeper than that, but I suppose that's all that's required for you to know for now." Itachi elaborates.

Sasuke blinks. Suigetsu had fucking tried to MARRY him?! He had done so without asking?! He felt anger swell inside him like magma that was about to become lava and burst out of a volcano.

"Suigetsu! Is that true?! Did you try to marry me without asking?!" Sasuke hisses at him, not realizing his own teeth were sharper than they should be and his eyes were now flashing dangerously red.

"Oh I should be fair. He couldn't entirely help it. It's no more different than getting an erection is for a human. Sometimes it just happens." Itachi notes with amusement and Sasuke felt his face heat up.

Suddenly, he was glad Suigetsu was standing in front of him. Well more like sitting, but still. It at least allowed him to hide his blush. This was really not how he wanted to meet his older half-brother.

"Fine. He isn't some sicko. He's just a pervert." Sasuke mutters.

"You are just a really good kisser and tail rubber. It's a natural reaction." Suigetsu defends himself.

"That's true. Now move. I would like to meet my brother properly, face to face." Itachi orders Suigetsu.

The violet eyed merman sighs. He looks at Sasuke apologetically. He did not want Itachi to even look at him. Not yet. Sasuke was still way too vulnerable. Even after he became a merman, Itachi would have the experience advantage if it came to a fight.

Itachi was also a high prince. Sasuke clearly wasn't in danger at the moment, so it would be disobeying his Monarch's direct order. That wouldn't end well.

"If he tries anything, I'm right here. I'll always be right here." Suigetsu whispers into Sasuke's ear as he moves out of the way.

Itachi blinks when he got a good look at Sasuke. He was the spitting image of Izuna. It was disturbing actually. He couldn't fully suppress his outrage at this. The hybrid looked more like their father than he did? That was blasphemy!

"Hi. So you're Itachi…" Sasuke says awkwardly.

"Yes, I am. So you're my foolish little half-brother. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to look so much like father. I thought you would have taken after his human slut more strongly." Itachi seethes.

He knew his anger was irrational. Sasuke couldn't help what he looked like. The fact that he resembled their father so strongly, would only make it easier for him to become accepted in Atlantis. Still it irritated him. It irritated him a lot.

"Maybe I was better off being an only child. I don't even know who my biological mother was, but I'm not going to let you talk about her that way." Sasuke snarls at him.

"Very well. Let's see you try to do something about it." Itachi replies with a smirk.

Well at least the hatchling had some spirit in him. It would be good to assert his dominance early. Whatever became of Sasuke he would learn one way or another that Itachi was the eldest son. He was going to be King. Sasuke would be the prince. Itachi was his superior.

"You fucking asshole! I didn't do anything to you. So why are you picking a fight?!" Sasuke growls and lunges at Itachi.

Suigetsu could only watch in horror. Sasuke's legs had scales on them and his eyes were flashing red. But Itachi was a full merman.

He'd have the edge when it came to power, speed, and agility. It looked like Sasuke either didn't know that or didn't care. He was going to try to compensate with righteous fury.

"You're pretty fast for a human. Not fast enough though." Itachi growls at him and smacks his younger brother with the full force of his tail, sending Sasuke flying back several feet and crashing into one of the rocks.

"SASUKE!" Suigetsu calls out.

Sasuke coughs. He felt dizzy. When he coughed, he noticed that he had coughed up some blood. That fucker wasn't playing around. That was fine though, neither was he.

Sasuke rises to his feet and dives back into the water. He swims at Itachi as fast as he could. The hybrid delivers a swift kick to his brother's stomach. Itachi grunted in pain.

"Strong for a hybrid as well. Too bad that your mother was a human slut. If you were a real merman right now, you might actually have a chance. Itachi says as he throws a bone crushing punch at Sasuke, shattering his shoulder.

"AHHHHH!" Sasuke screams in agony.

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HIM." Suigetsu says and raises his hands in a gun gesture.

He quickly fires off several water bullets. He wanted to shoot Itachi, but he knew that if he did he would be in big trouble. Despite his temporarily assholeness, he was still the High Prince and Suigetsu didn't feel like being charged with attempted assassination.

"Looks like you and your human mother have something in common. You are both good at using your pretty faces to find protectors. Tell me is he going to hold your hand, while you meet father as well?" Itachi snarls at Sasuke.

"Fuck you." Sasuke hisses at Itachi and clutches his shattered shoulder.

"That would be incest. Tsk tsk. First, you allow Suigetsu to practically Mark you and now you are offering yourself to your own brother? You are quite the deviant." Itachi taunts him.

Sasuke growls at him. He felt his sharp his teeth were in his mouth and wonders if he could actually rip this sick fuck's throat out. Itachi deserved it.

"Sasuke, come on. Let's get you back home. You need medical attention to that shoulder. Itachi, this isn't over. When Izuna finds out you attacked him, your ass is going to be shark food." Suigetsu rages at him.

That's when another merman approached. Sasuke blinks at this one. HE had blue skin, gills, and sharper teeth than even Suigetsu. What the Hell?

"Itachi, he's right. We have to explain this to your father, before it jeopardizes your position. I don't know what the brat did to wind you up this much, but it's not worth it." He counsels him.

"You're right." Itachi says as he swims off with Kisame.

"What the fuck was that?!" Sasuke asks Suigetsu.

"That was an Akatsuki. It's a subspecies of mermen and mermaids. It's a very long story. It doesn't matter right now. We need to get your shoulder looked at." Suigetsu says and Sasuke nods in agreement.

Sasuke couldn't help but wish he could go back to being an only child. His half-brother was psychotic. The youngest Uchiha didn't even know his birth mother.

That didn't matter though. There was no way that Sasuke was going to put up with Itachi talking about her like that or shattering his shoulder. Pay back was going to be a bitch. He was going to make Itachi regret attacking him.


	5. Chapter 5

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm going to grant a request in this chapter. Lots of really good ideas have been suggested. You guys are amazing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** You've met Mikoto. Now you get to meet the biological mothers of Sasuke and Itachi. Both are original characters. Feel free to weigh in on whether you think they should get major or minor roles in this story.

Chapter Five

"That could have gone better. I'm so sorry, Sassy. I should have stepped in sooner. Here, eat this. It'll help you feel better." Suigetsu says as he pulls out a small pouch that was apparently hidden between the translucent material above his hips. (Sasuke still thought that might be the merman version of a belt.)

"What is it?" Sasuke asks warily and cautiously opens the pouch.

Inside the pouch was colorful. There were pearls, precious gems, gold and silver coins, and small colorful sticks that looked like they were made out of sugar.

"Well mostly it's spending money, but you should eat or at least suck on one of the green sticks." Suigetsu says.

"What do the green sticks do?" He asks nervously, not sure if he was really ready to try merman candy yet.

"They speed up cell regeneration and reduce pain. It doesn't work instantly, but it's a Hell of a lot faster than waiting for your shoulder to heal naturally. Even with our advanced healing rates, that shoulder would likely take at least three days, maybe a week to heal. With the candy, probably a few hours. A day tops." Suigetsu says happily.

Sasuke blinks. His shattered shoulder might heal naturally in as little as three days and with the candy, it might only take a few hours?! That was incredible. He really should see if Suigetsu would let him take some of these green sticks to a hospital. This could help a lot of people!

"Can I take some of these with me?" He asks.

"No, Sassy. I know what you are thinking. You aren't giving these to the humans. They'll want to know where you got them from. Besides, I'm not certain how they would impact a full human. You are a hybrid. It's safe for you. It might not be for them." Suigetsu replies.

Sasuke sighs and nods. Well that sucked. Suigetsu was probably right though. Just because it was safe for him, didn't mean it'd be safe for someone like Naruto.

"Itachi said that I looked a lot like my father. That seems to be what set him off. Is that true?" He asks to change the subject.

"Oh yeah. You are a dead ringer for Izuna. You could almost pass for identical twins." Suigetsu says.

"What happened to my mother? Is Itachi's mother still around?" Sasuke continues with his questions.

The white haired merman winced. Yeah, this was really uncomfortable. He should probably let King Izuna handle this.

"I think you should ask your father those questions, but Itachi's mother is still around. You'll probably want to avoid her. She and Izuna are "divorced" as humans say. I'm not really sure how she would react to you." Suigetsu partially answers him.

"Got it." Sasuke says as he sucks on the stick.

It tasted like sugar. That was a relief. At least mermen and mermaids had come up with a form of medicine that didn't taste horrible. Sasuke had always hated taking medicine as a kid for that very reason.

He mentally sighs. Suigetsu didn't want to tell him about his birth mother. He didn't mind telling him that Itachi's mother was still around. That filled him with a feeling of dread. Was she dead? Had Itachi's mother killed her in a fit of jealous rage?

"Are you going to be okay to head home?" Suigetsu asks.

"I don't know. I think I'll call Naruto and have him pick me up. I don't feel like driving with a busted shoulder, even if it is healing fast." Sasuke says.

"Alright. I'll stay with you until he arrives." Suigetsu says.

Sasuke bit his lower lip. He wondered if the merman would consent to meeting Naruto. Naruto was his best friend and Suigetsu was kinda his boyfriend. He had tried to fucking marry him apparently. (Even if it was subconsciously, the desire had been there.)

"Would you mind staying? I'd really like for you to meet him. He's my best friend. He knows that I'm…different. I understand if you can't though. There might be some kind of rule against revealing yourself to humans." Sasuke says.

"Well I guess I can. No one would believe him anyway, even if he blabbed." Suigetsu says.

"Great!" Sasuke says and takes out his cell, calling Naruto.

Sasuke waits for the blonde to pick up. He couldn't wait to see the other college student's reaction to seeing Suigetsu. This was going to be absolutely priceless.

"Hey, loser! Pick up!" Sasuke says.

"Sasuke! How's it going with well… _everything?"_ Naruto replies cautiously.

The raven haired man's brows furrow in concentration as he tries to think of how to answer that question. It was such a simple question. But the answer was so fucking complicated!

"It's a long story. Do you think you could come pick me up? There's someone I want you to meet. We'll meet you at the beach." Sasuke inquires.

"No way! Is your tour guide actually going to let me meet him?" The blonde asks excitedly.

"Yeah. Come on. I don't want to be here all night. My shoulder hurts." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto promises that he'll be there quickly and hangs up. Sasuke had to give his roommate this much. He was fast. Then again, knowing that you are going to be meeting a merman was a very good motivator.

"I'm here! Sasuke!" The blue eyed man calls out.

"Over here." Sasuke replies .

By this time, they had already swam back to the beach. Well more like Suigetsu got them there. Sasuke had to hang onto his back and let the merman take him back to the shore. His shoulder was healing fast, but not that fast.

"Sasuke, what the fuck happened to your shoulder?" Naruto asks in horror.

"Like I said, it's a very long story. To answer your question though, my half-brother happened to my shoulder. Itachi didn't particularly care for the fact that I look so much like our father." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"Wait you have a brother?! Your brother attacked you?!" Naruto demands in outrage.

Sasuke sighs. Yeah this was going to take awhile. He knew his best friend. The blonde would never be satisfied with half a story.

"Yeah. My dad apparently gets around. He was married before. She was a full mermaid. Their son is named Itachi. He's a dick, but he knows how to throw a punch. I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't been for Suigetsu. Suigetsu, this is Naruto. Naruto, this is Suigetsu." Sasuke explains.

Naruto tries to process that his best friend had a half-brother who was a full merman. That would have been difficult enough. But Itachi was also fucking psychotic! The merman had assaulted Sasuke because he looked like their father! Before he was done wrapping his mind around that, Sasuke introduced him to a real merman!

"Nice to meet ya!" Suigetsu says cheerfully.

"Um you too! Thanks for saving Sasuke. Can I see your tail?" Naruto asks.

"Naruto, you don't just ask someone if you can see their tail, two seconds after meeting them. That's very rude!" Sasuke snaps at him.

"What?! He's the first merman that I've met. I'm curious. So sue me!" The blonde protests.

Suigetsu laughs. He swims over to the water's edge and shows Naruto his tail. Naruto's eyes widen as he stares at the light green tail. That thing was huge and disturbingly… _pretty._

"Wow. That's really cool! Can I touch it?" The blue eyed man asks.

"Only if Sassy won't get jealous." Suigetsu says with a smirk and Sasuke glares at him.

"Who is Sassy?" Naruto asks in confusion and looks at Sasuke in an utterly baffled fashion.

Sasuke sighs. He smacks his forehead. Why? Dear God, why was this happening to him? Why did Suigetsu insist on giving him a nickname and using it in front of Naruto? He was never going to live this down!

"He means me. It's your tail. You can let whoever you want touch it." Sasuke grumbles.

"Naruto seems nice, but I wouldn't want you to think that I was hitting on him. You give the best tail jobs!" Suigetsu says merrily and Sasuke sputters.

Naruto blinks. _Tail jobs?_ What the Hell was that? Wait was that like a hand job? No way.

"Sasuke are you two…dating or something?" The blonde inquires in a confused voice.

"Or something. It's complicated. It'd take way too long to explain. Anyway, this is my guide. My half-brother is a dick. But Suigetsu says I should be fine in a day or so. Would you mind giving me a ride home? Itachi fucked up my shoulder good and I don't really feel up to driving, just yet." Sasuke explains.

Naruto just nods dumbly. He couldn't believe this. His best friend was turning into a merman, had a psychotic merman for a half-brother, and he was dating Suigetsu. This was unbelievable.

"Yeah, sure. I don't mind. Just let me touch those scales before. This is amazing!" Naruto chimes and he reaches over to stroke Suigetsu's flipper.

He blinks. It sorta felt like a cross between silk and a snake's scales. This was so _cool!_ How many humans could honestly say that they touched a merman?!

"Wow. Those are awesome. Well guess we better get going. It was nice meeting you, Suigetsu. I'm sure Sasuke will be back tomorrow." The blonde says as he drags Sasuke off.

Suigetsu watches in amusement as his Sassy is drug off. He then sighs and heads back into the water. He had to go to Atlantis. Suigetsu was going to speak with King Izuna. There was no way that he was going to let Itachi's assault slide.

"May I speak with King Izuna? It's urgent. It's about Sasuke." The white haired merman says a few hours later he arrives back in Atlantis.

"Of course. The King has informed us to allow you in at any time. You apparently are a guide to someone important. Come along." A guard says and leads Suigetsu into the throne room.

Suigetsu swims in. He stands a few feet away from the throne, a respectful distance. It was one thing to tease his Sassy. It was another to tease Izuna.

"Ah Suigetsu. It is good to see you. Tell me of Sasuke's progress." He says.

It was strange to look at Izuna now. The mischievous merman now had a very good idea of what Sasuke would look like once he was "middle aged." Damn Sasuke would still be disturbingly hot. Oh right, Izuna was talking to him. He should probably answer.

"Sasuke is aware that he is a merman now. I have also told him that you are his father and the King of Atlantis. Unfortunately, High Prince Itachi is aware of his existence. He attacked Sasuke. Sasuke did not provoke him. He just shattered Sasuke's shoulder because the younger prince looks so much like you. Naturally, I got him out of there and gave him a chakra stick. He'll be fine in a day or so, but still." Suigetsu replies in a rush.

Izuna blinks. Suigetsu had told Sasuke everything? While he was concerned about how his son would deal with that, it was now a secondary problem. Itachi had ATTACKED Sasuke?!

"You did well. The fault was my own. I should have told Itachi before now. I have no idea how he discovered Sasuke's existence. But I know that I need to speak with him now. Aiko is not going to take this news well." He says with a dramatic sigh.

Suigetsu nods. Aiko was the Queen of Atlantis. It was rare for a human to become a mermaid or merman, even more rare than a hybrid being born. Still it was possible with the help of _the Heart of the Ocean._

"You should get some rest, Suigetsu. It sounds like you have had a trying day. I will find a way to deal with this situation. Thank you for helping him and keeping me informed." Izuna says and Suigetsu bows, before swimming out of the room.

Izuna says. He knew that he should have told Itachi sooner. Still he just didn't know how. Itachi was still very close to his mother. He would likely see him spawning with Aiko was a betrayal.

Itachi would feel like he was being replaced. That wasn't the case at all! But Izuna was intelligent enough to realize that his eldest son would likely feel that way.

Just then Aiko swims into the throne room. His worries must have shown on his face because his Mate swims right over to him. She caresses the side of his face and waits for him to tell her what was wrong. His Queen didn't need to say a word, she knew him well enough that words were not necessary in times like these.

"Itachi found out about Sasuke. It didn't go well. Suigetsu tells me that Itachi attacked his younger brother." He informs her and Aiko gasps in horror.

His Mate was still the most beautiful woman he had ever met. Her hair was as black as the night sky itself. Her skin was more luminous than any pearl. Her eyes shone like sapphires. Izuna had traveled the world and had never found another woman who could ever compete with her. (This was saying something because Itachi's mother was also magnificent in her beauty.)

"How badly was Sasuke hurt?! Is he still alive?"" She asks fearfully.

"Suigetsu, says he administered aid. His injuries were not life threatening. Be at peace, my love." He tells her.

Aiko had a generous bosom and a slender stomach with wide hips that fanned out into her mermaid tail. Her tail was a majestic purple. You never would have know that once she had been human by looking at her.

He fell in love with her the first time that he saw her. Looking back now, he knew that he had behaved very foolishly and recklessly. Izuna would transform into a human for a few hours and be with his beloved. Then he would return back to Atlantis. Their secret rendezvous had lasted for about a year before she became pregnant.

"Thank Neptune for that." She says and sighs in relief.

She had known he was a merman, of course. Izuna couldn't keep a secret from his beloved. So when she got pregnant they both knew that the child would be a hybrid. Eventually, the sea would call for Sasuke and he would answer.

A few months later, Aiko laid her egg. She could have stayed with Sasuke, but that would have meant leaving Izuna behind. He would have been too lonely to focus on ruling.

"Indeed. Thank Neptune for that." Izuna agrees.

So it was with heavy hearts that they gave Sasuke up temporarily for adoption. They both knew that someday, he would return. No hybrid could resist the _Ocean's Call._

Izuna had used _the Heart of the Ocean_ to transform Aiko into a mermaid after Sasuke was hatched. It was a magical sapphire that could turn humans into mermen or mermaids. Still it was not something that could be used easily.

The sapphire could only be used on someone who was truly in love with a merman or a mermaid. Izuna to this day, still didn't know how it worked. He was just grateful that the precious gem existed and had allowed Aiko to be with him.

"Suigetsu tells me that Itachi flew into a rage because Sasuke so strongly resembles me." He continues.

"Well at least we know he's very handsome then." She says with a smile.

It pained her. Truly, it nearly killed her to have Izuna lay their egg on the beach. Aiko would never have been able to give Sasuke up, if she had seen her son's face after he hatched. That was why she had her husband complete the task.

Izuna had watched the egg to make sure that Sasuke would safely hatch. Then he had waited until two "suitable" humans found him. At least, she knew that their son would be well loved while he lived the first part of his life as a human.

"Yes, I suppose that is good news. Still we will have to figure out what to do about Itachi. Now that Itachi knows, I imagine that he will inform Kitasha." He continues and sighs heavily.

Kitasha was a beautiful mermaid. Truly, she was. She was everything that a Queen should be. She was intelligent, strong, beautiful, and would defend their kingdom to the death. Izuna just hadn't been able to bring himself to love her.

Beautiful she may be, but ice water ran in her veins. Izuna had never met a mermaid more manipulative and ruthless than Kitasha. The merman had tried to make his marriage to her work, but it didn't matter in the end. Their union was dissolved, but not before they had Itachi.

"This won't end well." Aiko mutters.

Kitasha despised her. Aiko could understand why. Though her marriage to Izuna had been falling apart long before she met him, the mermaid likely still blamed Aiko for its end.

It did make her feel somewhat less guilty, that Izuna had divorced Kitasha before he began "courting" her. Still that didn't change the fact that Kitasha loathed Aiko with every fiber of her being. Certainly it was an uncomfortable situation for all three of them.

Kitasha may no longer be Queen, but she was well respected by the public. The mermaid still attended all formal events. Izuna could not forbid her from doing so, because it would have caused a public outcry. Sometimes Aiko thought Kitasha only attended these events to spite her.

The Queen bit her lower lip anxiously. She didn't mind Kitasha's hatred. She was used to it, but Sasuke was innocent in all this. Aiko would not allow her son to suffer for her "sins."

"We'll find a way. After all, when I met you, you were human. Now you are a mermaid and a Queen at that. Don't fret. Somehow this situation will reach a happy conclusion. I would never allow harm to come to our boy." He assures her and kisses the mermaid's cheek.

"I know. I love you." She whispers with a smile.

"I love you too." Her mate replies with a smile of his own.

Elsewhere, Itachi goes to find his mother. The merman did think she had a right to know what was happening. Her former husband's child was going to be joining them in Atlantis soon. That would have a big impact on her.

"Itachi, it's not like you to display so much worry on your face. Tell me what troubles you." Kitasha says.

To anyone else, this would have been a sign of concern. Itachi knew the truth though. It was a command.

Kitasha would not tolerate anything being hidden from her. That was one of the things he liked about his mother. She was enormously perceptive and would never take kindly to being treated like a fool.

"I regret to inform you that I have news. I can not say if it is good or bad with absolute certainty, but I know that it will hurt you. For that I am deeply sorry. It was never my intention to cause you pain." Itachi says.

He glances at his mother. Honestly, he was at a loss for what his father saw in the human. Even if Aiko was now a mermaid, he would forever think of her as a human. That is what she had been born. So to Itachi, Aiko was human.

Kitasha was stunning with hair red as fire. It reached all the way to her waist in silky vibrant strands. Her eyes were smoky gray. Kitasha's skin was the same color as Itachi and he had inherited his eye markings from her. The mermaid's tail was silver. Finally, she had an ample bosom and alluring curves. By anyone's standards, she was a beauty.

"I understand. Speak, my son. I would rather have a truth that draws a tear, than a lie that draws a smile. You should know that by now." She encourages him.

"Father's union with the human bore fruit. Their hatchling is now beginning to transform. His name is Sasuke. I fought with him. I know that I shouldn't have. But he looked so much like the King, that it enraged me." He continues.

Kitasha frowns. That was not good news at all. Surely, the hatchling would tell Izuna...if he was still alive. She doubted that her former husband would kill his own blood, but Itachi would likely face some sort of punishment.

"You did not kill him, did you?" She asks.

"Nay. I injured his shoulder. It was not a mortal wound. Kisame came upon us and was able to cool my temper enough that we left, before permanent harm could be done to him." Her son answers her.

She sighs in relief. Itachi hadn't killed him. Good. A shoulder injury would get him in trouble, but at least he hadn't assassinated another Prince of Atlantis.

"I am certain that you can beg your father's forgiveness and your punishment won't be too severe. Tell me more about this Sasuke." She commands.

"As I said, he resembles father a great deal. He's proud. Defended that human slut, when I insulted her. He's never even met her. Yet, he still rose to her defense. I suppose now that I think on the matter, it was touching. He's fast and strong for a human, but currently no match for me. No human can win against a merman." He states smugly.

She nods in agreement. That much was certainly true. Mermen and women would always be stronger and faster than humans. That was just a fact.

"That is good to know. Is there anything else, that you can tell me?" She asks.

"His guide is _fond_ of him to put it mildly. I came upon them whilst they were exchanging some passionate kisses and heated caresses. Suigetsu does appear to have strong feelings for him. He even fired off some water bullets at me. Warning shots. Nothing more. He didn't intend to hit me." Itachi assures her.

Kitasha nods. That was a good thing for Suigetsu. If he had actually tried to shoot her son, there would be no power on this Earth that would protect him from her wrath. Itachi was all she had in his world…other than the adoration of the public. (But that was a fickle thing. Public opinion could change as quickly as the tides.)

"Good. I would have killed him, if he had actually been attacking you seriously. So Suigetsu is fond of him. Hmm. Well that doesn't necessarily mean that Sasuke's tastes favor males exclusively. Still I imagine that a merman would be the best choice." She states.

"The best choice for what mother?" Itachi asks in confusion.

"The best choice to seduce him. Should Izuna end up favoring this hybrid, we need to have plans in place. He was raised as a human. He's new to this world. Easily manipulated. It's not his fault that his father conducted himself improperly. Sasuke may well end up being very useful to us. Though your…dramatic introduction does make things more difficult than they should have been." She says with a small sigh.

Itachi blinks. He supposed it was a brilliant plan. He wasn't entirely certain it would work. Sasuke already had good reason to hate him or at least to mistrust him. He doubted he'd be anymore positively inclined towards Kitasha.

"I can see the skepticism on your face. Do not underestimate me. It will not be an easy feat, but I am certain that we can manage to persuade him to see our side of things." She assures him.

"Yes, mother." Itachi says.

Hmm well she was going to need more information. Knowing that Sasuke was at least interested in one merman was something, but not enough. Knowledge truly was power. The more she could learn about this hatchling, the better.

Was Sasuke attracted to Suigetsu for his looks, his personality, or simply because he was an anchor in the new world that the hatchling now found himself in? It was difficult to say. She supposed she should start with the assumption it was all three. She could find another merman with the first two. It was the third possibility that was more difficult to replicate.

"I will help in any way that I can." Itachi assures her.

"I know you will. That is what makes you such a good son." She replies with a sly smile.


	6. Chapter 6

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. A couple requests are going to be granted soon. Suigetsu x Sasuke shippers are some really creative people. Once again, you guys do have a lot of good ideas. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Suigetsu gets very jealous. The soup is possible underwater because other liquids can exist in water. So what we are going with. If anyone wants an explanation about puffer fishes, feel free to private message me or ask in a review.

Chapter Six

The next day, Sasuke returns to the beach. His shoulder was fully healed. The hybrid could almost convince himself that Itachi hadn't actually attacked him. That it had all just been a nightmare.

That was until Suigetsu swam over to the edge of the shore. The concern in his beautiful violet eyes told Sasuke that was not the case. His half-brother had really attacked him. Itachi had shattered his shoulder. He had done so simply because Sasuke looked too much like their father, for the merman's liking.

"How are you feeling, Sassy?" He asks softly.

"Much better. That green stick worked miracles. Thanks. I still can't believe that happened." Sasuke replies and Suigetsu nods sympathetically.

He smiles and sits on the beach with Sasuke. Thankfully, it was early enough that they were the only ones around. So no one was likely to stumble upon the sight of a merman sitting on a beach, next to a human.

"I was really worried about you. For now, I just want to see how your legs respond to the water covering them. I want to see if your scales reappear and if they do, how many." The white haired merman explains.

Sasuke nods. That sounded okay to him. Hopefully his prick of a brother wouldn't come back. It didn't seem likely though. Suigetsu had fucking shot him with _water bullets._

"Is that ALL you want to do? Check to see if I have scales?" Sasuke asks slyly.

"Well actually, there are a lot of things I want to do with you. Most of them aren't very professional though." Suigetsu says with a smirk and leans over, kissing the prince.

Sasuke didn't know why he was flirting with Suigetsu. Maybe it was because he was hot. Maybe it was because he was a very good kisser. Maybe it was because the man had saved him from his psychotic half-brother. It might have been all those things. At the moment, he didn't really care why though.

If he closed his eyes, he could pretend he was still a normal person. He was just a guy, making out with another guy on the beach. Sasuke wasn't sure how he felt about becoming a merman in general. But now that he knew he had a possibly homicidal half-brother lurking somewhere out there, he was a little less enthusiastic about than he had been before.

"You're more affectionate than usual." Suigetsu observes with a smirk as he breaks the kiss and caresses Sasuke's cheek.

"We have a usual?" Sasuke asks.

"Good point. Well I'm definitely not going to argue with you wanting to making out. I promise that I won't let that son of a bitch touch you again. I should have done something sooner." He mutters.

Sasuke shakes his head. It wasn't the merman's fault. How was he supposed to know that Itachi would act like that?

"It's not your fault. You protected me with your…water bullets. At least that's what I think they are. They sure scared the fuck out of him. So that's your ability?" Sasuke asks.

"Not exactly. It's more diverse than that. I can control water. Even the water in my body. Different tricks take different amounts of chakra though." Suigetsu explains.

Sasuke wasn't sure what chakra was exactly. He decides that he was probably going to have to make a long list of questions to ask his guide. He nods and encourages his boyfriend (or whatever Suigetsu was to him) to continue.

"What do you mean you can control the water in your body?" Sasuke asks.

"I'll show you. Touch my arm." He says and Sasuke raises an eyebrow, but does as he was instructed.

He gasps when his hand went straight through Suigetsu. His arm was now completely water. There was nothing else there.

"I can't hold it forever obviously. The longer I do, the more energy it takes. But it's pretty cool. Very helpful in fights. You can't injure water like you can flesh." Suigetsu explains smugly.

"That's amazing. Do you know what Itachi's talent is?" Sasuke asks.

"Itachi's is…harder to explain. I know it has something to do with altering perception. Illusions mostly. It's not a physical talent, but it is arguably even more deadly when he wants it to be." Suigetsu warns him.

"Great. So he fucks with people's heads. Makes sense. Suits his charming personality." Sasuke mutters in irritation.

Suigetsu laughs. That was his Sassy. He smiles and kisses his forehead. By Neptune, it was a good thing that Sasuke had no idea how fucking _adorable_ he was.

"True. Ah good news. You got some scales." Suigetsu says as he looks at Sasuke's legs.

Sasuke was currently only wearing a pair of crimson red swimming trunks. So his legs were on full display. Sasuke blinks as he looks down to see the scales. Today, they looked mostly midnight blue. Though a couple were dark purple or black. In all, he probably had a dozen or so scales scattered on each of his legs.

"It's odd. You would think it would hurt when they just showed up, but I didn't feel anything." Sasuke muses.

"You were probably too distracted by kissing me. They are coming in very nicely though. Gorgeous really." Suigetsu says.

"You're getting turned on by my scales, aren't you?" Sasuke demands.

Suigetsu shrugs. Sasuke was just irresistible to him in general. Though he really did like the hybrid's scales. They were so dark and mysterious. He liked the way they contrasted with the prince's ivory skin.

"Yeah. Maybe a little, but judging by the fact your tongue was halfway down my throat, I don't think you mind. Me thinks you protest a little too much, Sassy." He says smugly.

"You are an arrogant asshole sometimes." Sasuke mutters.

"Maybe, but I'm the arrogant asshole who knows how to make you moan like a dolphin." He says smugly.

Moan like a dolphin? What the did that even mean? Sasuke just shakes his head. It didn't really matter. Suigetsu was getting a little too full of himself.

"Maybe I shouldn't kiss you so much. Clearly, it's gone to your head. Besides, I'm a prince. Maybe I have a bunch of concubines that I don't know about. They might get jealous." Sasuke says with a smirk.

That probably wasn't the smartest move that he had ever made. Sasuke umpfs, when Suigetsu suddenly jumps him. The white haired merman pinned Sasuke's hands over his head and held him down.

"You really shouldn't provoke me like that, Sassy." He purrs dangerously into his ear and Sasuke notes with alarm that Suigetsu's teeth were now much sharper than they had been a minute ago.

"L-ike what?" He asks.

"Mermaids and mermen especially aren't like humans. We are extremely possessive and territorial when it comes to our Mates. If you were a full merman right now and understood what you just did, I would bend that gorgeous tail of yours over and fuck you so thoroughly that you wouldn't be able to swim anywhere properly for a week." Suigetsu warns him.

Sasuke blinks. The hybrid honestly didn't know whether to be aroused by that or terrified. He supposed it was his merman side that found it erotic and his human side that was a little frightened. Actually maybe it was an even mix between the two. Suigetsu wasn't done yet though.

"I'd have to carry you everywhere in my arms. People would know EXACTLY what happened. They would know you had been properly claimed and punished for being an evil tease." He warns him and Sasuke gulps when he realizes Suigetsu's eyes were actually glowing.

"We aren't Mates though. So you don't get to go all caveman on me." Sasuke says.

Suigetsu pauses. That was true. They weren't Mates. Not yet anyway. But he had every confidence that they would be relatively soon.

Sassy was just being Sassy. Clearly, Suigetsu was going to have to prove to him that concubines weren't necessary when he was around. He was more than capable of keeping the prince satisfied all by himself. Thank you very much.

"Not yet. We will be though. I don't mind giving you time. You are still new to all this. So I'm going to let that concubine remark slide this time. Next time though, your tail is getting bent over and I don't care if you are a human or a merman while it happens." Suigetsu says and his teeth slowly transform back into human ones.

"That was the weirdest proposal ever." Sasuke mutters.

"Maybe a little. Doesn't make it less sincere though. I followed you for a couple years. It's hard to tell exactly when hybrids will start transforming. You haven' known me that long, but I know you. I've known for awhile that you're the one that I want." He confesses.

"Oh that's not creepy at all. You are basically saying you stalked me and fell in love with me, while I didn't even know you were there." Sasuke protests.

"You only think it's creepy because your mind is still mostly human. By mermen and mermaid standards, it's very romantic!" Suigetsu insists.

Sasuke looks a little skeptical at that. It was hard to remember sometimes, but Suigetsu wasn't human. He might act like one most of the time, but who knew what was really going on in his head.

His parents had said his mind would be _mostly human._ That meant that there was some animal instincts swimming around in his boyfriend's head. Animal instincts that he didn't fully understand. That was both intriguing and more than a little concerning.

"I should probably go. I promised my parents that I would have breakfast with them." Sasuke says.

"Are you mad at me about the Mating and bending you over thing?" Suigetsu asks in concern.

"Not really. I think that's because you are a merman. You're just following your instincts. It'd be like being mad at a cat for chasing a bird or something. Pointless and not very fair." Sasuke answers and pulls Suigetsu in for a deep kiss.

He figured it was best to prove that he wasn't actually mad. He really did like Suigetsu. His kisses were incredible. The merman was hot and there was that whole thing about Suigetsu saving his life. Yeah, that probably factored into it.

Suigetsu kisses back eagerly. He quickly adds tongue. The white haired merman tries to coax Sasuke into doing the same. He hears Sasuke moan into the kiss and smirks. _Bingo._

"You don't need the concubines. You have me. I can take FAR better care of you than they ever could." He promises after breaking the kiss.

"I don't doubt that. Besides, they are probably mermaids anyway. I prefer mermen." Sasuke says and he gets up heading off.

Suigetsu smirks. He couldn't resist. He smacks that gorgeous ass. He was sure it was going to look just as hot when it was covered in scales.

"OWE! Suigetsu!" Sasuke growls.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist." He says and Sasuke mutters something about perverts as he walks off.

Meanwhile back in Atlantis, Kisame decides to cheer Itachi up. The High Prince just hadn't been himself since the _Shoulder Incident._ Whether he felt guilty for attacking his brother or was worried about being punished, the Akatsuki couldn't tell. Still he was going to cheer him up, one way or another.

"Itachi, I got you something extra special." Kisame says with a smirk.

"You have my attention. What is it this time?" Itachi asks with faint amusement.

Kisame's antics were always entertaining. If nothing else, the Akatsuki were a highly unpredictable race. Sometimes Itachi felt "regular" mermaids and mermen were almost boring in comparison.

"Caught us a giant squid." He says smugly.

The High Prince of Atlantis blinks. _**HE WHAT?!**_ It was almost unheard of to see a giant squid, let alone to catch it. They were just so massive and deadly.

"Did you actually catch one or is this some kind of jest?" Itachi asks.

"I caught us one. It's probably going to last us at least a year. How would you like some squid soup?" He asks cheerfully.

Itachi blinks again. He couldn't believe it. The blue skinned merman constantly amazed him. He knew that Kisame was strong and fast, but this ridiculous. He had managed to fell that massive beast, seemingly by himself?

"I would love some." He replies and swims over to join his friend for a meal.

"Great. So did you tell your mother yet?" He asks as he gives Itachi a bowel.

"I did. She took the news better than I anticipated. She believes that Sasuke could prove useful to us. Naturally, I pointed out that my foolish little half-brother isn't likely to be pleasantly disposed towards us because I attacked him. She thinks that we can earn his trust though." Itachi replies.

Kisame privately thought Kitasha might have puffed a few too many pufferfish. Why would the little prince trust Itachi and Kitasha after he had gotten his shoulder shattered by Itachi? Did she really think humans were that forgiving. It didn't make any sense.

"I can see your skepticism. I share it. Still my mother has good instincts. She has never steered me wrong before. If she thinks the hybrid can be useful, then that is almost certainly the case." Itachi replies to Kisame's incredulous look with a shrug.

"Guess we'll see what happens. So let's find out what giant squid soup tastes like!" He says and Itachi chuckles.

He smiles and places a spoonful in his mouth. Itachi wasn't entirely certain this would taste pleasant. Still Kisame had put his life at risk to prepare the meal. The least he could do was try it.

"That's exquisite, practically orgasmic. It's even better than lobster." Itachi marvels.

"Yeah. It is really good. Speaking of orgasmic…" Kisame says.

Itachi tilts his head. He gestures for his friend to go on. He wasn't sure what was going on in the Akatsuki's mind, but he did know that it was likely to be interesting. Kisame was always interesting to him.

"Yes?" He asks.

"I've been meaning to talk with you about this for awhile. You don't have a Mate yet…" Kisame begins.

Itachi nods. That much was true. He figured the right mermaid or merman would come along sooner or later. The eldest prince hadn't seen a need to rush. Now that Sasuke was in the picture, Itachi should probably take a Mate as quickly as possible. If he was already Mated, that would give him an advantage over Sasuke. It would mean he would likely continue the royal bloodline before his half-brother could help to contribute to the family corral. (It was like a family tree, only merman and mermaid style.)

"That's true. You're right. I should start looking more seriously. Once Sasuke is here, he will be the son of Izuna's current Queen. I'm the eldest, but Sasuke's claim to the throne will be strong. Arguably as strong as my own and the fact that he resembles father so strongly, only works in his favor." Itachi muses.

"Exactly. I would like to be your Mate. We get along well. You know that I can hunt and protect our family. I'm strong enough to defeat a giant squid all by myself. I know that I'm an Akatsuki and you might prefer another of your own kind, but that could work as a benefit. It could help to improve relations between our subspecies." Kisame says in a rush.

Itachi blinks. He hadn't expected that. Kisame was asking to be his Mate. The underlying implication was that the Akatsauki was in love with him. How could he have not noticed?

He shoves that thought to the side. Itachi knew why he hadn't noticed. He had been so caught up with his issues with Izuna, he simply hadn't picked up on whatever cues Kisame might have been giving him. Kisame was interested in more than just friendship.

"Well your reasoning is quite sound. I have no problem with taking an Akatsuki for a Mate. Though I do think that we should explore if we are compatible as lovers before Marking each other for life." He says.

Kisame smiles. Well it wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no. It was more of a solid maybe. He could work with that.

"Always thinking ahead, eh Itachi?" He asks with a grin.

"Always. That's why Atlantis will benefit when I am the King and not my half-brother, who doesn't know the first thing about being a merman." Itachi mutters.

"Maybe I can take your mind off of him for awhile." Kisame offers slyly and Itachi nods as his new suitor leans down and kisses him.

Elsewhere Sasuke heads back to his family home. He takes a deep breath and heads inside. He still didn't know how to feel about his parents. Any o0f his parents really.

The King of Atlantis was his biological father and a merman. He had no idea if his biological mother was even alive. Oh and his adoptive parents had kept the fact that he was really a merman a secret from him for his entire life. Yeah, he now had major issues when it came to his parents. He should see a psychologist, but they would probably put him in a straightjacket.

"Sasuke! It's so good to see you." Mikoto says as she rushes over and embraces him.

"I wish I could say the same. I don't know how to feel about all of this." He admits and Fugaku sighs, patting his back.

"I know this has been difficult for you. We really should have told you sooner. It was just we couldn't tell you when you were little. You might have told someone else. By the time you were old enough to keep it a secret, you likely would have thought we were insane. We always thought we had more time." He confesses.

Sasuke sighs and nods. Oh he understood their reasons perfectly. That was why he was still willing to speak with them. They might not be his parents by blood, but they were the people who raised them.

Despite the fact that they could have handled this bizarre situation better, they would always be his parents. He didn't know Izuna. Sasuke didn't even know if his birth mother was alive. So it was hard to feel a familial bond towards them. (Yes, he had defended his biological mother's honor when Itachi insulted her, but that was out of principle…not love. It was hard to love someone that you couldn't remember ever meeting.)

"I understand. I wish you would have told me sooner, but it doesn't change things. I'm confused, hurt, disappointed, and maybe a little angry. But I still love the both of you. You'll always be my mother and father. That won't change just because I'll have a tail." Sasuke promises them.

Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha to Sasuke, would always be his mother and father. It didn't matter what happened once he became a merman. That wouldn't change.

"We love you too. More than you will ever know." Mikoto says and kisses his forehead as Fugaku wraps his arms around his family in a protective embrace.

"Good. So I guess now is as good a time as any to spring the fact that I have a boyfriend on you." Sasuke says.

"…" Mikoto and Fugaku are speechless.

Oh they both knew that Sasuke was gay. That wasn't the surprise. But was now really the best time to get a boyfriend? He was turning into a merman!

"And he's a merman." Sasuke continues.

"Oh. Well that's good. I was going to say, I'm not really that taking a human boyfriend is a good idea when you are about to become a merman." Mikoto replies.

Sasuke nods. That was a good point. Naruto was one thing. Naruto had been there for him for years. But he wasn't going to entrust his secret to the first hot guy that walked by and expressed an interest. (Who didn't have flippers, anyway.)

"That's unexpected. Well…I suppose it doesn't matter what species he is. The important thing is that you are happy, but who is he?" Fugaku asks.

"His name is Suigetsu. He's my guide. He's teaching me how to be a merman." Sasuke tells him.

Mikoto nods. Telling your son that he was turning into a merman was difficult. She knew that Sasuke was still adjusting. So she was surprised that he would willingly get involved with another merman so quickly.

"What's he like?" She asks.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

How the Hell was he supposed to answer THAT question? Suigetsu was Suigetsu. Enough said really. He knew that explanation wouldn't satisfy his parents though. Damn it.

"He's very…friendly. Definitely not shy." Sasuke replies.

Fugaku raises an eyebrow. There was some hesitation there. Sasuke was obviously trying to find a tactful way to describe his boyfriend. That could mean only one thing.

"He's very…affectionate, isn't he? Flirtatious, perhaps?" He inquires.

"Yeah. He is. Suigetsu is really flirtatious." Sasuke agrees because that seemed to be the most tactful way of putting it.

He couldn't exactly come out and tell his parents that Suigetsu was a pervert. A pervert who conned Sasuke into giving him a tail job. The raven haired college student was pretty sure that his parents wouldn't react well to that little gem.

"Well it's good that you won't be adjusting to being a merman alone." Fugaku says tactfully and Sasuke nods in agreement.

That was definitely true. Sasuke doubted that Suigetsu would let him out of his sight. After everything that had happened with Itachi, he couldn't really blame the merman.

He bites his lower lip. The hybrid knew that it was wrong not to tell his parents about Itachi, but he just couldn't do it. They were already likely worried enough about it. Besides, he had a boyfriend who could shoot water bullets, he'd be fine.


	7. Chapter 7

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It takes place a few weeks after the last one.

 **Chapter Notation:** More about merman/maid reproduction is discussed. Since they are mythological creatures, I figured I could be flexible with it. I will put up warnings before and after. If you feel uncomfortable reading about a more exotic reproductive strategy, feel free to skip it. I took some inspiration from seahorses. (Male seahorses actually carry the eggs in a pouch.)

Chapter Seven

A few weeks later, Sasuke hugs his parents and best friend. They were on the beach. According to Mikoto and Fugaku, he was going to transform today. While he'd be able to assume human form again, it would only be for a few hours at a time. Essentially, this was the last day that he would ever be human for any extended period of time. That was more than a little terrifying.

"Don't worry, baby. You'll make a wonderful merman. You were born for this." Mikoto says.

Fugaku gives Sasuke a reassuring pat on the back. Then he goes over to Suigetsu. He couldn't help, but be a little fascinated. Though he did have concerns. Mostly physical in nature.

"Sasuke tells me that the two of you are dating." Fugaku says.

"By human standards, yes. We call it courting." Suigetsu replies, not sure if Sassy's dad was going to be upset by this development or not.

"I don't mean to be crude, but how do your people express their love? I don't see any…genitals." He says as he glances down at Suigetsu's green tail.

"Oh don't worry! I'm sure everyone was thinking it. Well if you are really curious, I'll tell you." Suigetsu leans over to Fugaku and whispers in his ear.

The Uchiha Patriarch's eyes widen. He didn't know that mermaids and mermen had so many options available to them. Idly, he wondered if their was some sort of mythological Karma Sutra. It would make for a very long read.

"It's really a matter of preference." Suigetsu finishes.

"What's a matter of preference?" Sasuke asks as he gives Naruto one last quick hug and makes his way into the water.

Suigetsu laughs. Sassy would probably smack him for telling Fugaku that. Still he couldn't resist. It was just so much fun to rile the prince up.

"How mermen prefer to have sex with other mermen. There are a lot of ways that I can make you moan like a dolphin some more." He says with a smirk.

"What does moan like a dolphin mean?" Mikoto asks innocently and Sasuke looks positively mortified.

"Nevermind, mother. Well we should probably get going. People are going to start arriving at the beach soon. I'll stop by next week and visit you." He promises.

His parents nod. Sasuke waves to them and Naruto one last time, before swimming off with Suigetsu. The young prince knew he had to swim off quickly. It reminded him of when he left for college. Lots of waterworks involved, especially from Mikoto.

"Don't worry, Sassy. You can visit them as often as you want." Suigetsu reassures him as they head off.

Sasuke nods. That was true. He continues swimming off with his boyfriend (or whatever Suigetsu was to him). Suddenly, he noticed he wasn't moving both of his legs, but only one "leg."

"Suigetsu, stop!" He calls out in panic and looks down.

That's when he noticed his legs were completely gone. He had a large midnight blue tail. Here and there were a few scales that differed slightly in coloration. His scales ranged from midnight blue, to purple, and finally to black. He also had a "belt" like Suigetsu which was more of a navy blue color.

"What's wrong?" Suigetsu asks and turns around to face Sassy.

"My tail came in." Sasuke says in a stunned voice and the white haired merman looks.

"Yeah. It did. Fucking gorgeous tail by the way. Nice and long. Shiny scales. I like the blue against your fair skin." Suigetsu muses.

Sasuke blinks. The violet eyed merman was acting like he had found a shiny sports car, instead of just changed species! How was he so calm about this?

"Suigetsu, this is kinda a big deal!" Sasuke snaps at him.

"I know. You're a merman now. How does it feel? Try moving your tail a bit. See if it hurts." Suigetsu suggests.

Sasuke nods. He tries to move his tail. The Uchiha wasn't really sure how he was supposed to do that. He felt a wave of relief wash over him when he realizes that his tail responded to his thoughts, in the same way his legs did. His tail actually responded better to his thoughts than his legs had. It moved so quickly and fluidly. There was certain grace to the movement that he knew that his two human legs would never have been able to replicate. It was _beautiful somehow._

"It doesn't hurt." Sasuke replies and swishes his tail more curiously, trying to get used to it.

"Good. Oh and your Sharingan is active. That's good. Didn't expect that to show up again and stay for awhile." Suigetsu muses.

"Sharingan?" Sasuke asks in confusion.

"Those who are of royal blood have it. It means your eyes turn red. It's genetic. Amongst other things, it allows you to copy other people's attacks, assuming that they aren't bloodlines." He says.

Sasuke blinks. Suigetsu basically told him that his red eyes advertised to everyone he was royalty. Wait a minute. His Sharingan could copy attacks? Excellent.

"Show me those water bullets again." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Naughty, Sassy. As much as I would love to see you shoot that son of a bitch, you can't copy my abilities. My water talent is a bloodline. It's genetic. You don't have my family's genes." He says.

"Damn it. But I can copy OTHER attacks?" Sasuke asks.

"As long as they aren't a bloodline. Unless you know it's a bloodline or someone tells you, you can't tell just by looking at the attack. So it's a trial and error thing." Suigetsu informs him.

Sasuke sighs and nods. Damn. No water bullets for him. Oh well. It was kinda cool that his eyes were acting as a crown.

"Well that's still pretty cool. Is my tail permanent now?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah. You can transform back into a human if you want, but you have to want to do it. It's not something that will happen subconsciously. Maybe we should have you get used to your new form before taking you to Atlantis. I'll take you to my place." Suigetsu replies.

The new merman nods. That made sense. He wasn't really sure he wanted to go to a city full of mermaids and mermen, if before he learned how to properly control his tail.

"I think you just want to get me back to your place so you can seduce me, but sounds good." The young prince states with a smirk.

"Can't deny that. I'm always looking for ways to seduce that fine tail of yours, but I'm being serious. It wouldn't be a good idea for you to go to Atlantis. Itachi lives there." Suigetsu warns him.

Sasuke's eyes widen. He didn't think that he was going to be expected to live in the same city as his psychotic brother. Maybe he could just crash at Suigetsu's place. It was kinda early to ask to move in, but Suigetsu had almost married him. Maybe he'd say yes.

"You know, it might be better…if I just stayed with you. At least until I pick up some really cool talents from other mermaids and mermen. Itachi is probably going to attack me again. I want to be ready." The raven haired merman says.

Suigetsu sighs. He pulls Sasuke into his arms and holds him closely. He could certainly understand Sassy's concerns. He'd be an idiot, if he wasn't worried about his half-brother. Still there was no way that he was going to let Itachi get another cheap shot in at his Sassy again.

"Itachi might be an arrogant prick, but he's not stupid. He wouldn't dare attack you in Atlantis. I already talked to your father about it. I don't know what King Izuna will do to Itachi to punish him, but I know for damn sure it will be pretty brutal. You're his son, Sasuke. He's not going to let anyone hurt you." The violet eyed man tries to assure him.

"Itachi is his son too. Itachi is the son that he actually raised. Somehow, I doubt he's going to favor me over a full merman. He probably got a slap on the wrist, if that." Sasuke mutters.

"Sasuke, you were a hybrid. Now you're not. You are just as much a merman as I am. It doesn't matter that you weren't born with a tail. You were still hatched from an egg." Suigetsu says.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

 _"You were still hatched from an egg,"_ Suigetsu had said. An egg?! Sasuke tries to process the fact that he was hatched from an egg, but he couldn't do it. That was just so… _alien._

"Mermaids and mermen reproduce a little differently than humans. The egg thing doesn't matter at the moment. My point is that you are just as much a merman as Itachi is." His boyfriend states.

"I think the egg is kinda a big fucking deal. I mean we aren't like seahorses are we? Males can't have babies, can they?" He asks.

Suigetsu sighs. Damn he was hoping to spring this on Sasuke a little later. He wanted to wait until after they were Mates or at least had gotten a little further than tail jobs. (Tail jobs and making out was fun, but not enough.)

 **Warning Reproductive Cycle Description**

"Mermaids and mermen can get pregnant. Our anatomy is a little different. We have two separate sexes, but the roles in reproduction aren't as neatly defined. Mermen and mermaids are capable of producing eggs and fertilizing it. So yes, it's possible for two mermaids or two mermen to have a hatchling. Happens all the time." He says somewhat nervously.

"If males and females can both fertilize and produce the eggs, then who carries the egg?" Sasuke asks warily.

"Well technically, either partner COULD carry the egg. Our sexes are more a matter of aesthetics. It your Inner Nature that matters." The white haired merman says.

Sasuke blinks. What the fuck did that even mean? Inner Natures? He wasn't so sure how he felt about the fact that Suigetsu was implying he could get pregnant!

"What's Inner Nature mean?" Sasuke demands.

"Well instead of arbitrary genders, we have Inner Natures. Nurturers and Protectors. Nurturers are the mermen and mermaids who are more likely to get pregnant. They carry the egg inside their pouches, until it's ready to be laid. Loosely speaking, they are the "mothers." Protectors are more likely to fertilize the egg. Again, your gender has almost nothing to do with it. Their job is to protect their Mate, while they are pregnant after they fertilize the egg. You can think of them as the "fathers." We still refer to females as mothers and males as fathers though. Even if you have two mermaid or two mermen for parents." Suigetsu informs him.

Sasuke blinks. Oh so either gender could get pregnant, but one subset of their kind that was more likely to get pregnant. Well he supposed in a weird way it was egalitarian.

Hell if he was looking at it from a purely evolutionary perspective, it made sense. If both genders could get pregnant, that meant they had an insurance policy. If for some reason there was a shortage of male or females, they could still sire offspring with the same gender. It was still utterly _bizarre_ to him though.

"How do you know if you are a Nurturer or a Protector?" Sasuke asks.

"Well there's a test you can take. You go to a healer. You give a blood, scale, hair, or sperm sample. They run the test and let you know. A Protector can get pregnant and a Nurturer can impregnate someone, it's just a lot harder for them." Suigetsu explains.

"Oh. Which are you? Do you know?" Sasuke asks.

"Protector. Don't worry about it for now, Sassy. I'm sure that our hatchlings will be magnificent someday, but there's no rush." Suigetsu assures him.

 **End of Reproductive Cycle Description**

Sasuke blinks. He didn't realize that mermaids and mermen were so different from humans when it came to having kids. The young man had a lot to think about. Starting with the fact that Suigetsu apparently was just assuming that they were going to have kids!

"You're pretty arrogant. I never said that I wanted to have hatchlings with you." Sasuke counters.

Suigetsu shakes his head in amusement. He kisses Sassy's forehead. He really did protest too much. The violet eyed merman knew that Sasuke wanted him, just as much as Suigetsu wanted the young prince. If he wanted to play hard to get, well Suigetsu didn't mind. The chase was fun.

"The didn't have to say it with words. You say it in the way you kiss me. The way you touch my tail. The way your eyes never leave mine, when we are together. Like I said, there's no rush. I figure I should at least let you get used to being a merman, before I start asking when you want to have hatchlings." Suigetsu continues.

"Oh how generous!" Sasuke snaps.

"Yeah, I thought so too!" Suigetsu says as he drags Sasuke off.

Sasuke blinks when a few hours later, they came upon a sunken ship. It was massive. He was hardly an expert when it came to ships, but he guessed it was at least a hundred years old.

"This is my home. It's not that far from Atlantis. Half a day's swim, but far enough to give me and Jugo some privacy." He says.

"Well that's good." Sasuke says as he follows Suigetsu inside.

It was a strange feeling. He was thousands of feet under water now, yet he was breathing here just as easily as he had on land. He decides, it was probably not a good idea to ask why at the moment.

"Hey, Jugo! I'm here with Sassy. Come meet him." He calls out cheerfully.

A merman swims out. Sasuke blinks. As a human, Sasuke had considered himself to be pretty good sized. He definitely wasn't small. Suigetsu was big or at least seemed to be big to him. Jugo completely dwarfed both of him. Maybe he and Suigetsu were considered "short" by merman standards?

Jugo had orange hair and exotic eyes. His tail was white with a practically silver "belt" around his hips. He looked friendly though.

"It's an honor to meet you, my prince." He says and bows.

"Yeah. Sassy's not used to the royalty stuff yet. So you probably don't have to bow. Wait do you want us to bow, Sassy?" Suigetsu akss.

"Um bowing is optional. Nice to meet you. My name is SASUKE, not Sassy. Suigetsu decided to give me a nickname for some reason." Sasuke says with a heavy sigh.

Suigetsu grins cheekily. He seemed enormously pleased with himself. The young prince just shakes his head.

"Oh and don't' worry. Jugo is really big for a regular merman. He's definitely on the very upper end of the size scale. He's just "tall" by merman standards. He's one of the few that can compete with Akatsuki when it comes to tail size." Suigetsu says, noting Sasuke seemed a little freaked out by the other merman's massive size.

"Good to know. It'd be embarrassing to find out that I was the runt of the litter." Sasuke mutters in relief.

Meanwhile Itachi had just returned to Atlantis. He had left Kisame behind with the promise to visit him the next day. The High Prince figured that he should tell his mother that he was now being courted.

"Mother?" He calls out softly as he knocks on the door.

"Come in." Kitasha calls out and smiles when Itachi swims inside her bedchambers.

"There's something that I thought I should inform you of. Kisame and I are now courting." He says.

Kitasha blinks. Well she supposed in hindsight, she should have seen that coming. The Akatsuki was suspiciously fond of Itachi. Which was odd as most Akatsuki tended to have a less than favorable opinion of "common mermen and mermaids." The reverse was also true. Though that was beginning to change.

"Well I do wish you luck in your courtship. He does fit the stereotypical role of a Protector. If nothing else, your hatchlings would be well protected." She muses.

"So you approve of the match?" He asks.

"Well I think it would have been easier if you had found a merman or mermaid who wasn't an Akatsuki. Still there are enormous potential political advantages for such a Mating. That and if he makes you happy, I suppose it doesn't particularly matter that his skin is…blue." She says with an elegant shrug of her shoulders.

Itachi was relieved to hear her say that. He hadn't been entirely certain how his mother would react to the exotic match. Now he could court Kisame without worrying.

"It pleases me to hear you say that." Itachi replies.

"Mhm. How badly did your father punish you for attacking the hybrid?" She inquires.

Itachi rolls his eyes. Izuna's punishment had been keeping him from public events for a month. The public was now wondering where the Hell he was. It wasn't like the crowned prince to be so reclusive.

Izuna was a smart merman. If nothing else, he knew where to hit his opponent where it hurt the most. For Itachi, that was his reputation.

"No public events for a month. That's at least four times longer than Sasuke's injuries likely took to heal." He states in annoyance.

Kitasha shakes her head. Leave it to Izuna to find an excruciatingly painful punishment, without ever raising his hand. It was regrettable, that he was so soft in other respects.

He was handsome. Izuna was a gifted lover. He was a devoted father. But he just was so _weak._ Oh not in body. He was a powerful warrior. It was his mind that was the problem. When push came to shove, his _"morals"_ would always prevent him from doing what needed to be done. Well she supposed you couldn't have everything.

"Well I suppose that we should be grateful you were spared from the coral lash. Do not fret. I'm certain that somehow we can soothe this over. I imagine that you are not going to let your anger overwhelm you again." Kitasha says.

"Of course not, mother. It was a moment of weakness. I would not jeopardize our position by giving into my rage again. I do have some regret over it. It's not the hybrid's fault that he looks so much like father. I reacted poorly." He admits.

"Then consider this a learning experience. Unfortunately, I must go and speak with your father. He will want to discuss the hatchling." She muses as she swims out of the door and towards the throne room.

Izuna eyes his former wife warily. She reminded him of a sea snake. Beautiful and treacherous. If he had his way, she would never find out about Sasuke. Still he was certain that Itachi had told her of his youngest son's existence. He was surprised she hadn't lashed out yet.

Her silence was worse than her rage. Kitasha's silence could only mean that she was plotting something. He didn't care for that. Izuna did not care for that at all.

"I assume you wish to discuss your youngest son with me." She states.

The King nods. It was so like Kitasha to dive right to the heart of the matter. He takes a deep breath and braces himself. The merman doubted this was going to be an enjoyable conversation.

"You are correct. I understand that Sasuke's presence will likely not be an easy cross for you to bare, but bare it you shall. If his existence displeases you, you are ordered to ignore him. It will be difficult enough for him to adjust to life as a merman, without your terrorizing him." The handsome merman issues his order.

She places her hand over her heart. Kitasha pretends to be mortally wounded. Izuna raises an eyebrow at the dramatic gesture.

"Really, do you think me so petty that I would torment a helpless child? It's not his fault that our union dissolved. The boy likely didn't realize he was a merman until a month ago. It would be rather unfair of me to blame him for your actions." She says.

"So you are telling me that you bare no ill will towards him?"" Izuna asks skeptically.

She nods her head. Kitasha knew that she was going to have to put on a fine performance. Izuna was perceptive, if she lied…he would notice.

"Of course. I quite look forward to meeting him actually. Perhaps his spine will not be made out of jellyfish like yours. It's a pity Izuna. You're strong and intelligent, yet when it comes time to do what needs to be done…you don't have the spine." Kitasha mocks him.

"As warm and charming as ever, I see." Izuna's eyes narrow and he feels his teeth sharpen in anger.

Perhaps he had granted her too much freedom. She was the mother of his eldest child. Kitasha may no longer be his lover, but she deserved his respect. However, he certainly couldn't tolerate this show of defiance.

"As weak as ever. A real merman would never tolerate such disrespect. Perhaps you are more of a Nurturer than a Protector. It would certainly explain a lot." She taunts him.

There was certainly nothing wrong with being a Nurturer. But Izuna was a Protector, through and through. How DARE she try to imply otherwise?! She had carried his first child! She damn well knew that he wasn't a Nurturer.

"Careful, Kitasha. The thing that saves you from a corral lashing is public opinion. The public would be outraged if I had you punished in such a manner, but that can change as quickly as the tides. You should know that by now." He warns her.

She smirks. Oh she had gotten under his scales alright. His eyes were flashing red. There was that fire. That fire that made him such a fantastic lover. Yet, it was the same fire that he refused to use to rule. Pity. Maybe his hybrid would be more useful.

"You aren't merman enough to do it. You've grown soft. You are no more threatening than a clownfish." She hisses at him.

"By Neptune woman, why do you wish to provoke me?!" He snarls at her and swims over to mermaid.

"You deserve it. I knew that our marriage wouldn't last. That's not why I'm angry. I'm angry that you chose a human. Do you know how embarrassing that is to me and Itachi?!" She demands.

Izuna glares at her. Aiko was now a mermaid. She was no longer human. Kitasha should have accepted that fact years ago, but she never had.

"Aiko may have been a human once, but she's a mermaid now. She is also the mermaid that I love. I know that I injured your pride and for that I am sorry. But I will never regret choosing her. I swear by the power of the ocean, if you attack Sasuke in any way, I will have you coral lashed!" He snarls and his sharp teeth are revealed.

"Pity. If only you had shown that same fire when we were married, you might never have needed to settle for a human." She says and swims off, leaving a fuming Izuna behind.


	8. Chapter 8

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm relieved that no one seems to have an issue with the merman/maid reproductive cycle. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** In this chapter, you will find out what the belt is for. Warnings will be put up before and after because it is a fairly exotic description. Your choice if you want to find out more about merman biology or skip that part.

Chapter Eight

"Sassy, aren't you kinda going overboard? That's the tenth merman this week." Suigetsu asks two weeks later.

Sasuke shakes his head. No. He did not think he was going overboard. Who the fuck knew how many talents Itachi had copied? If he was going to see his psychotic half-brother again, he was going in prepared. Sasuke wasn't bringing a knife to a gun fight.

"Thank you, for your help. I know that it means a great deal to our young prince." Jugo says to a merman named Rock Lee.

Lee was eccentric to put it mildly. He was always going on about the power of youth. No one understood what his and Guy's obsession with youth was. Still you couldn't find a more loyal subject to the crown. Lee had been eager to help Sasuke acquire a new talent.

"Always happy to help. Besides, it's good for him to get practice with his Sharingan. Oh no. I'm late to dinner. Guy Sensei is going to be really worried." He says and swims off.

Sasuke watches as Lee leaves. It was something of a relief to realize not all mermen were gorgeous. It wasn't that Lee was ugly. His busy eyebrows and bad hair cut were odd, but he wasn't completely unfortunate looking. Just awkward.

It just wasn't very fair to compare him to Suigetsu, Itachi, or even the Akatsuki. Lee was probably considered "average" looking by merman standards. Lee's tail was a darker shade of green than Suigetsu's and his belt was white. Personally, Sasuke much preferred Suigetsu's light green to Lee's forest green tail.

"Itachi shattered my shoulder the last time I saw him. Now that I copied Lee's super strength, I dare him to try it again! We both have super strength now." Sasuke replies.

"Itachi, never copied super strength. That's his natural strength. It's not his talent. Any merman could have done that." Suigetsu says.

Sasuke blinks. Wait what?! Itachi was naturally strong enough to completely smash bone with one hit?!

"That's not very comforting." Sasuke mutters.

"You're a merman now. Your bones are a lot stronger. If he threw the same hit at you, it wouldn't be nearly as devastating." Suigetsu assures him.

Well that was something of a relief. Mermen were able to throw a wicked punch, but apparently they could also take a punch. Sasuke sighs. He really had a lot to learn about merman biology.

"Right. Well I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Can we go to Atlantis, now?" Sasuke asks.

 _"Can we go to Atlantis, now?"_ Being a merman was a surreal experience in a lot of ways. Sasuke never thought he would utter THAT question.

Atlantis was supposed to be a myth. Mermen and mermaids were supposed to be a myth. Yet, here he was. He was a merman who was going to Atlantis. Could his life get any weirder?

"One moment, my prince." Jugo says as he swims back into the ship and comes back with a pair of sunglasses.

"Yeah, it's probably a good idea if you hide your eyes at first. I don't think Izuna and Aiko have announced your return yet. We don't want to cause a scene." Suigetsu says.

Sasuke nods. He puts on the sunglasses. It was somewhat of a relief when he realized his boyfriend was a collector.

He collected lots of human items. Suigetsu seemed particularly interested in swords, but he would scoop up almost anything really. The new merman thought of Suigetsu's place as something of of a museum. There were at least a few dozen items, that he was sure any museum would have killed for.

"Good idea. Wait Izuna AND Aiko. Who is Aiko and why would she have anything to do with my return?" Sasuke asks.

Suddenly it dawns on him. There was really only one reason to list a woman's name like that after a King's. His biological mother was ALIVE.

"Damn it! I shouldn't have said that. It just slipped out. Well the catfish is out of the bag now. Aiko is Izuna's Queen. She's also your birth mother. Your family's situation is pretty complicated." The violet eyed merman warns him.

His mother was alive! She was alive! Wait how was that possible? He was a hybrid. Clearly, his mother had to be a human. So how was she down in Atlantis?

"How is she living with him? She's a human." Sasuke asks.

"She was a human. After you were born, she was turned into a mermaid. The Heart of the Ocean is a precious gem. It can turn a human into a merman or a mermaid. There's a catch though. It only works if the human is in love with one of our kind." Suigetsu explains.

"Oh." Sasuke says and then goes silent for a few moments.

He didn't know how to process that. Sasuke had just assumed his biological mother was dead. Otherwise, she was a human. She could have taken care of him. There would have been no reason to have him adopted.

When he got old enough, they both could have just returned to the ocean. Why did she leave him behind? It can't be that she didn't want him. Suigetsu had said Izuna AND Aiko. That meant that she was also awaiting his return. So why did she leave him behind?

"Are you ready for this? It's okay if you need some more time." Suigetsu inquires.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I have a lot of questions to ask my "parents." Sasuke mutters bitterly.

"Sasuke, it's not like that. They didn't abandon you. Both of them knew that you would come back. They just left you with two very loving babysitters for a long time. That's all. I know that it seems like a long time to a human, but to us a couple decades is nothing." His boyfriend assures him.

Sasuke blinks. A couple decades is nothing?! It had never occurred to him to ask, but apparently mermen and mermaids had a much longer lifespan than humans.

"How long do we live? I'm a hybrid. Is my lifespan different than yours?" Sasuke demands.

Jugo gives Suigetsu a sympathetic look. The violet eyed merman sighs. He nods gratefully at Jugo. Let the big guy take care of this one.

"Mermen and mermaids live much longer than humans. It's quite possible you could live for a thousand years. Most usually die somewhere in their 700's or 800's though." Jugo explains.

"You're telling me that I could live to be a thousand fucking years old?!" Wait, how old are you two?!" Sasuke demands.

"I'm 22. Suigetsu is 19. You age physically until you find your Mate or your 30th birthday. Then the aging process just automatically slows down. No one is really sure why. We think the extended youth evolved as a way to increase the amount of time you are able to breed. No one knows for sure though." The large merman answers.

Sasuke lets out a sigh in relief. If he found out that Suigetsu was really a thousand years old, that was going to be a deal breaker. He doubted that was the case. Suigetsu looked young. But with everything he had been finding out about merman biology lately, who knew?

"Good to know. Alright. I'm ready. Let's go." Sasuke states.

"You are so hot when you get all bossy and royal." Suigetsu says before kissing Sasuke's cheek.

"And you're weird." The prince says before swimming off with his boyfriend and Jugo.

They had been swimming for an hour when Sasuke wanted to stop and check out a corral reef. He'd never seen one in person before. It was beautiful and filled with fish. It was like a scene right out of a movie.

He probably should have been paying better attention to his surroundings. Sasuke didn't notice the shark swimming towards him. That was until Suigetsu cried out his warning.

"SHARK!" He screams at Sasuke and the prince turns around.

Jugo and Suigetsu were racing towards him. Sasuke's eyes widen as he sees the creature's massive teeth and he manages to dodge it's first lunge. When the predator tried to grab him again, it got shocked. A blue light emitted all along Sasuke's body. It crackled with energy.

Sasuke had just shocked the shark with electricity. It falls to the ocean floor, stunned, and likely dead. Sasuke knew that sharks couldn't stop swimming or else they would die. Even if the voltage didn't kill it, the fall would have.

"What was that?" Sasuke asks.

"Instinct and your talent. Looks like you got lightning. In this case, it seems to have worked in a manner similar to an electric eel." Jugo observes.

Sasuke blinks. Well not what he was expecting, but he could work with this. He'd just fry Itachi, if he tried anything. Besides, he could always copy more talents.

"Alright. Well let's get out of here, before any of his friends show up." Sasuke says referring to the shark and the other two mermen nod in agreement, before escorting him to Atlantis.

Sasuke couldn't hide his gasp when they arrived. It was incredible. It truly was a city. A thriving one. The architecture looked remarkably similar to Ancient Rome and Greece. There seemed to be lush underwater gardens here and there. Hundreds of mermen and mermaids were out in the streets. Sasuke estimated the city had a population in the tens of thousands. Maybe more.

"Yeah. It's amazing. Wait till you see the palace." Suigetsu says as he guides Sasuke towards the tallest and grandest building in the city.

Jugo holds Sasuke back, while Suigetsu talks with the guards. The guards nod and move aside. Suigetsu leads them all down the all. A few of the guards had decided to accompany them. Sasuke was sure that Suigetsu had told them that he was the prince, why else would they give them an escort?

"Wait right here. I'll inform the King and Queen." A silver haired guard states.

He was "tall" for a merman with a long tail. His hair was silver and one of his eyes was red, the other was black. Most of his face was obscured by his mask. His tail was navy blue and belt was pure white. He looked like he was in his thirties.

"Thanks, Kakashi." Suigetsu says cheerfully and the guard nods, swimming inside the Throne Room.

"Your Highnesses, Sasuke is waiting outside the Throne Room along with is guide and Jugo." He states simply.

The Royal Couple's eyes widen. Sasuke was here. They quickly inform Kakashi to send him in immediately.

"Sasuke!" The young merman hears a woman's voice call out and umpfs as he is immediately tightly embraced.

He instinctively knew that this woman had to be his mother. Sasuke couldn't deny that she was beautiful. Still she had left him to become a mermaid. He wanted to know why. He wasn't in the mood for cuddles.

"Aiko, I take it." He says stiffly and tries to wiggle out of her hold.

"Yes, she is. I am Izuna. Your biological father." The King says as he swims over to Sasuke quickly.

Sasuke blinks. Well now he knew what set Itachi off. Suigetsu hadn't been kidding when he said that Sasuke was a dead ringer for his father. So that's what he'd look like in a few centuries.

"You're grown so handsome and your tail came in so well. I'm so happy to see you." Aiko says.

"Thank you. I'm not sure if I can say the same. Why did you both leave me there? I understand him. He's a merman. He couldn't stay on shore for more than a few hours, but you?" Sasuke demands.

Aiko sighs. It looked like he was already suffering from abandonment issues. She could hardly blame her hatchling, but it was heartbreaking all the same.

"If I had stayed on land, your father would have been heartbroken. He wouldn't have been able to focus on ruling until we came back. I couldn't do that to the people of this city. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. It was made easier by the fact that I knew you would someday return to us. We didn't give you up because we wanted to. You are very loved, Sasuke." She tells him.

Sasuke eyes his parents warily. He could hear the sincerity in her voice. It helped a little. Still he couldn't help, but feel like more than a little neglected.

"But now here you are, a grown merman and healthy as a seahorse." Izuna offers.

"Yeah. About my half-brother that no one wanted to warn me about, Itachi attacked me." Sasuke informs him.

"I already spoke with him about that. He was suitably punished. I do hope that the two of you are able to mend your relationship. The fault was my own. I should have told him about you sooner." Izuna replies and sighs in a guilty fashion.

Sasuke really didn't see that happening anytime soon. He nods politely. The youngest prince felt he stood a far better chance of coming out on top this time. He could just fry Itachi. It would serve that son of a bitch right.

"Come, there is so much for us to catch up on. Tell us of your human life? We can give you a tour of the palace." Aiko offers with a kind smile.

"Well I guess it would be good to at least know my way around." Sasuke agrees after a minute and nods.

"Don't worry, I'll just wait for you in your room." Suigesu assures him.

Sasuke nods. He had no idea where his room was going to be, but he figured his parents would tell him. He swims off with the King and Queen.

"Were you happy there? Were they kind to you?" Izuna inquires as they all swam side by side.

"My parents? Yes, they were great parents. Other than keeping the fact I was a merman a secret from me, I couldn't have asked for better parents. I was content. I had Naruto. He's my best friend. I always felt like I didn't belong though. Unless I was swimming, now I know why." He answers.

Aiko nods sadly. Most hybrids did report feeling that way after transforming. In some ways, it really couldn't help. But she was relieved to hear that Mikoto and Fugaku had been kind to him at least and that he had a human friend.

"I'm glad that you formed a strong bond with them. I know that this must all seem very strange to you and you are likely feeling hurt, but we do want to form our own bond with you." Izuna says.

"You'll never replace them. You might have conceived me, but they were my real parents. When push comes to shove, you've proven that you'll leave me behind. Both of you." Sasuke snaps at them.

He saw the King and Queen wince. He did feel a bit guilty. Then he told himself that he hadn't done anything wrong. They were the ones that left him behind!

"We would never try to replace them in your heart. We just hope that there is room for us in there as well." Aiko says and kisses his cheek.

"Maybe." Sasuke mutters.

He wanted them to fight back. It would have been easier, if they didn't take his lashing out at them so calmly. Sasuke could have hated them then. Now he didn't know what to believe or think. He didn't know what to feel.

"Did you leave anyone special behind? If you did and it's true love, you can use the Heart of the Ocean to turn them into a merman or mermaid. It's a magical gem." He informs Sasuke.

"I didn't leave a lover behind, if that's what your asking. But thanks. It's nice of you to offer that." Sasuke says.

He decides that he wasn't' going to tell them about Suigetsu. Well at least not yet. They might be ethereal looking beings, but he didn't really know them.

Their talk continued for several hours as they showed him around the palace. Sasuke was damn sure he was going to need a map, if he was ever going to get around this place successfully. It was bigger than most city blocks.

"This is the Royal Family Wing. Your room is the second on the left. The one with the red door." His mother informs him.

"Alright. Thank you. I think I need some time to process all this." Sasuke mutters and his parents nod.

"If you need anything, our room is the one with the blue door. We are just down the hall. Don't hesitate to ask. No matter is too trivial. We'll come and get you in the morning." Izuna tells him.

Sasuke nods his head. He watches as his parents swim down the hall towards the room with the blue door. He sighs in relief.

Sasuke begins slowly making his way towards his own room. That's when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Something silver and red. He turns around to see what it was.

"The glasses were a clever move on your part. Though they are rather useless. You look too much like your father for them to be a truly effective disguise. I assume you can already activate your Sharingan, if you felt the need to wear them." He hears a feminine voice say.

Sasuke blinks. She was another mermaid. This woman had long red hair, a silver tail, and smoky gray eyes. If he was interested in women, she probably would have been his fantasy.

"I guess you're right." He says with a sigh and sticks the glasses in his belt.

"Impressive. You have already managed to activate the Sharingan. I am Kitasha." She introduces herself.

"Sasuke. Though you seem to know that already." He observes and eyes her with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

She smiles. This was going better than she had hoped. Still it was likely best to deal with the metaphorical whale in the room.

"Of course, I do. I wanted to speak with you. I hope that you don't have the wrong impression about me. I was once married to your father. Itachi is my son. He deeply regrets lashing out at you. It was just…he was hurt by the fact Izuna kept your existence a secret from him and seeing how similar you look to him, set him off. There is no excuse for it, but that is what happened." She confesses.

Sasuke blinks. This woman was Itachi's mother? He looks her up and down. Well there was a resemblance. Not enough to notice right off the bat, but if he looked closely…he could see it.

"I don't have the wrong impression about you. I don't know you. Your son attacked me unprovoked though. So yeah, we got off on the wrong foot. Well the wrong fin, I guess." Sasuke mutters.

 **Warning Biology Description**

"You have a sense of humor. That's good. It'll help you adjust to your new life. Oh and do be careful with your pouch, especially if you are a Nurturer. They are very strong externally, internally the tissue is soft to provide cushion." She explains.

Sasuke blinks. His POUCH? What was she talking about? Cushion? Wait she had said Nurturer. She was clearly talking about reproduction.

"My pouch?" He asks in confusion.

"Mhm. This." She says and touches his "belt."

"THAT'S what this is? It's a pouch. So we carry eggs like a fucking kangaroo or something?" Sasuke asks.

Kitasha chuckles. She almost felt sorry for him. He had truly entered a different world. One that he knew absolutely nothing about. He didn't even know what his pouch was for. She would just have to explain.

"Mhm. All mermaids and mermen have them. I think that your father should be the one who explains this to you in detail, but I suppose I don't mind explaining the bare basics. When a Nurturer becomes pregnant, the egg forms in the pouch. The pouch protects it from outside threats and provides a comfortable place for it to grow. Once the egg is big enough to hatch, the pouch automatically opens and releases the egg. Shortly thereafter, it hatches." She explains.

"But my human parents said they found me on the beach. They found a baby on the beach. This "pouch" isn't big enough to hold a human sized baby." Sasuke argues.

"The pouch expands. It inflates much like what humans call a balloon. Here let me make sure that you didn't damage yours by putting those glasses in it." She says and swims over to him.

 **End of Biology Description**

Sasuke felt his face heating up. For some reason, her inspecting his pouch, aka what he thought was a belt, for damage felt far more intimate than it should have. Kitasha looks him over rather thoroughly and decides he hadn't accidentally injured himself.

"You're fine. I just wouldn't make a habit of using your pouch as a belt." She says.

"Got it. Um thanks for the biology lesson. I'm going to go now. My guide is waiting for me." Sasuke says as he swims towards the red door.

"Anytime." She calls out as she swims off.

He knocks on it and was relieved when Suigetsu answers. Sasuke quickly darts inside. He had met his parents and his half-brother's mother. His nerves were completely shot.

"Sassy! There you are. Wait, why do you look so freaked out?" Suigetsu asks in concern.

"Well I'm in Atlantis. My father is the King of this city. My mother is actually alive. I spent the past few hours getting to know my birth parents and I just met Itachi's mother. Oh and apparently, I have a fucking pouch!" Sasuke exclaims.

"Well yeah. All mermaids and mermen have them. Like I said, all of us have the ability to conceive. It's just some of us are more likely to do it than others. Did Kitasha say something to you? I swear to Neptune, if that woman hurt you or upset you, I will kill her." Suigetsu says and his eyes glow.

Sasuke felt himself shiver. He didn't know whether it was because the sight was strangely erotic or terrifying. It was both really.

He didn't know why he did it, but he rests his head underneath Suigetsu's neck. He inhales his scent deeply. Sasuke wasn't sure why it was so soothing, it just was.

"She was almost suspiciously nice. It was embarrassing, but she checked to make sure I didn't tear my pouch. I used it as a belt to hold the glasses." He says and hands him the sunglasses.

"YOU WHAT?!" Suigetsu asks.

"Well I just thought it was like a belt. I didn't know what it was for and while we are on the subject, I would really like to know what happened to my original "tail!"

Suigetsu couldn't believe that Sassy had thought that his pouch was a belt. Wow. He really had to sit him down and explain all about merman anatomy. Sasuke apparently needed the explanation, badly.

"Well don't do it again. We don't know if you are a Protector or Nurturer yet. You don't want to accidentally…hurt yourself. As for your other tail, I'd be happy to explain to show you." Suigetsu says with a smirk.

"Got it. Well if you people would just explain these things to me from the beginning, I wouldn't make these kinds of a mistake. I don't think it matters. I'm sure that I'm a Protector anyway! And Suigetsu, this is serious. I know almost nothing about my own body. Do you know how terrifying it is, to have your tail one day and then not know where it is the next?!" Sasuke demands.

Suigetsu shakes his head. Well he could certainly understand why Sassy was freaking out. He'd just have to find a way to calm him down. He starts purring and placing soft kisses along the back of his neck.

"I know. This all has to seem really bizarre and probably frightening to you. But believe me, you are going to be okay. Just relax, alright?" He asks.

"That feels good." Sasuke murmurs and he closes his eyes in contentment.

Suigetsu smiles. Well at least he knew Sassy's spot. He licks his future Mate's neck and then bites down lightly, before kissing it some more. He felt rather proud, when he heard Sasuke begin to purr. That was better. He was nice and relaxed now.

"Good. That's better. You really want to know what happened to your other tail?" Suigetsu purrs seductively into his ear.

"Y-eah. It'd be nice to know that I'm still in one piece." Sasuke says.

"Alright. I'll show you. Just be a good Sassy and relax." Suigetsu says as his hand glides over Sasuke's tail, eventually resting on the area where his crotch was supposed to be.

Sasuke blinks. Was Suigetsu going to give him a tail job? It looked that way. He debates for a moment before nodding his head in consent. One way or another, he really did need to learn about his new body. Getting a hand job from our sexy boyfriend, seemed like one of the more fun ways to do that.


	9. Chapter 9

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Well I have thought a lot about how I want to do the eventual lemon(s). So I'm just gonna lay out some potential options in this chapter and see which one is the most popular. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update.

 **Honesty:** A new story. Sasuke x Jugo. If you are willing to give another unconventional pairing a shot, please feel free to give this one a look. It's set in the ninja era.

Chapter Nine

"Is this going to be painful or gross?" Sasuke asks Suigetsu.

"It definitely won't be painful. I'm not sure if you'd consider it gross. I don't think so though. Tail showing has three stages." His boyfriend begins.

Sasuke blinks. Three stages. The youngest Uchiha was suddenly not so sure he wanted to know. He braces himself and nods for Suigetsu to continue.

 **Warning Merman Biology Scene**

"The first stage is usually referred to as The Bulge. You've already felt that. It's when you can feel your tail underneath your scales." The violet eyed merman says.

"Uh huh. So it can…come out from underneath the scales?" Sasuke asks warily.

Suigetsu nods. Poor Sassy. He looked so terrified. He shakes his head in amusement and kisses Sasuke's forehead. The older merman knew that he'd get used to it eventually. It would just take some time.

"The second stage is the Reveal Stage. That's when your tail slides out. You still have your scaly tail, but also your original tail. Hmm I'm not sure how to put this without being crude. In this stage, two openings form if you're a mermaid and one if you're a merman. Same locations as in humans. You can Mate in this stage and it is considered the most natural way to do so in." He continues.

Sasuke blinks. So mermaids and mermen could actually couple in their natural form. He was kinda wondering about that. He hadn't seen a place where you COULD stick it. (He had checked).

"Got it. What's the last stage?" Sasuke asks.

"Your tail becomes legs. This is referred to as Evolution Stage. It has two mini stages. First, the lower part of your body changes to match that of a human. The only difference is you still have your scales everywhere but on your original tail or…womanhood, if you are a mermaid. In the second stage, you look completely human. No scales. You can Mate in the Reveal Stage and in either of the Evolution Phases. It's really just a matter of preference." Suigetsu finishes.

Sasuke blinks and nods slowly. So if he wanted to and Suigetsu was willing, he could have sex with him as a human. That was a relief. He wasn't really sure if he was up for the Reveal or first phrase of the Evolution Stage, just yet.

"Which way do you like best?" Sasuke asks cautiously.

"Reveal Stage. Doesn't really matter to me though. As long as I'm with you, I'll be a very happy merman. Ready to see your tail again?" Suigetsu asks.

Sasuke nods. Then he pauses. If he transformed into a human again, he was thousands of feet under water. He'd drown or be crushed by the water pressure.

"Won't I drown if I'm a human this far down?" Sasuke asks.

"Nah. Your outside will be human, but your inside will still be Merman. You'll be able to breath either way and your body has naturally adjusted with the water pressure now. You'll be fine." Suigetsu assures him.

"Alright. Try not to get too excited. I'm not trying to have sex with you. I just want to know that I can, if I decide to. That's still an IF." The prince informs him.

Suigetsu chuckles. That was his Sassy. He really did love to play hard to get. He brushes his hand along the scales over Sasuke's crotch teasingly.

"I think it's more a matter of when, than if. But if you want to play hard to get, that doesn't bother me. Something else is about to get hard very shortly." Suigetsu purrs seductively at him.

Sasuke felt his face heat up and he shivers when the white haired merman touches him. That felt good. Really good.

"That's it. Just relax. You don't have to be so shy." His boyfriend says and kisses him, while his hand continues stroking.

Sasuke kisses back. He couldn't help but moan into it. Suigetsu was a really good kisser and God his hand felt fantastic there. He squirms when he feels the sensation that used to accompany an erection in his human form.

"That's the Bulge Stage." Suigetsu murmurs once he breaks the kiss and gestures for Sasuke to look down.

"Yeah…definitely a bulge." Sasuke agrees.

"A very nice one by the way." The white haired merman assures him as he continues stroking and places a trail of kisses along Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke sighs in contentment. He could hear himself purring. Since he had heard Suigetsu do it before, he wasn't too concerned about this. It was apparently normal for mermen.

"Such a responsive, Sassy. There you go. Already at the Reveal Stage." Suigetsu informs him.

The young prince looks down. He sighs in relief that when he sees that his "equipment" was fully intact and apparently fully operational. He blushes more when he realizes that Suigetsu was getting an eyeful.

"You don't need to be that bashful. Trust me, you have NOTHING to be embarrassed about. Kitasha is going to be so furious when she realizes what she just missed out on." His boyfriend tells him with a smirk.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asks.

"Kitasha, probably will try to seduce you. What better way to get back at her ex, than to sleep with his son?" Suigetsu inquires as he tugs on a nipple lightly with his teeth.

"FUCK!" Sasuke groans in surprise at the unexpected action.

He felt his cock begin to throb in desire though. The slight hint of roughness was exciting to him. That's when he looked down and noticed his tail was dividing into legs. Soon enough he had two perfectly human legs save for the scales.

"Mmm and if I kept going, you're scales would disappear. Eventually, you can learn to control it. In the beginning, if you get really into it, you automatically go to the second phased of the Evolution Stage after awhile." Suigetsu finishes.

 **End of Merman Biology Scene**

"Good to know. So it's there. I just have to get turned on enough for it to come out. Also good to know there are a lot of options for merman sex. So you don't have a problem with just doing it the traditional way? Completely human?" Sasuke asks.

He wanted to make sure. Sasuke didn't to disappoint Suigetsu. He just wasn't certain if he was ready for full on merman sex in the most primal way possible yet.

"Yes, you just have to get excited enough. Eventually, you'll be able to control your forms completely. But for now it's tied to your emotional state. And yeah, I'm fine with just regular human sex. I'll take you, any way I can get you." Suigetsu says and kisses Sasuke once more, pushing his prince underneath him.

Sasuke smiles and wraps his arms around Suigetsu's neck. He moans into the kiss and arches underneath him. In that moment, Sasuke forgot all about his crazy family. The only thing that mattered as the fact that Suigetsu really knew how to kiss.

The next day, Sasuke is escorted to the Throne Room by some guards. He looks at Suigetsu, but his boyfriend shakes his head. Apparently, he wasn't supposed to come with Sasuke this time.

"It's alright. Your parents probably just want to talk to you. Alone." He reassures Sasuke.

Sasuke sighs and heads to the Throne Room. He blinks when he saw that Itachi and Kitasha were there, along with his parents. Oh this wouldn't end well.

"Sasuke, this is your elder half-brother Itachi. I believe that you already met. I regret that your first meeting was not a happy one. That is mostly my fault. I should have informed him earlier." Izuna says.

"You kept the fact that you had a second child a secret from Itachi. Of course he was going to react negatively. That's not even looking at it from Sasuke's perspective. How is he ever supposed to trust anything you and Aiko say? You've kept so many secrets from him." Kitasha muses.

"QUIET!" Izuna hisses at her.

Sasuke felt a strange sensation in his eyes. He instinctively knew that his eyes were glowing as Suigetsu's had. He felt himself bristle at the entire situation. He felt like he was in a divorce court.

"Don't yell at her! As far as I can tell, she's the only one of you that hasn't either attacked me or kept secrets from me. Actually, she helped me. She made sure my pouch wasn't damaged. That's more than I can say for the rest of you!" Sasuke snaps.

Izuna's eyes widen in horror. She what?! Sasuke needed to see a physician immediately. What if she damaged his pouch? That might severely lower his chances to ever have hatchlings. That was assuming he was as Nurturer, it wouldn't be as bad if he was a Protector, but still!

"You let her near your pouch?! Sasuke, that's very dangerous. She could have torn it! Do you know what your pouch does?!" Izuna exclaims.

"It carries the egg. It would have been nice if either of you had bothered to tell me that mermen can have children and what this pouch was! I thought it was a fucking belt!" Sasuke roars right back at him.

Itachi watches in amusement. He was starting to like Sasuke a lot better now. It was a rare mermaid or merman that would dare to raise their voice against King Izuna. His righteous fury was a magnificent thing to behold.

"You're right. We should have told you. There is just so much that we have to teach you. Come. We should have you looked at by a healer." He says.

"What makes you think that I'm going anywhere with either of you? From where I'm sitting, she's more trustworthy than either of you. At least she didn't abandon me and keep my half-brother a secret from me." Sasuke snaps at him, more viciously than any snapping turtle ever could.

Aiko sighs. She swims over to Sasuke and hugs him. She begins purring in an attempt to calm him down.

"You have every right to be angry with us, but we love you. We are your parents. We only want what is best for you. Besides, don't you want to know if you are a Nurturer or a Protector? If you know about pouches, I assume you know about the Inner Natures." She offers.

Sasuke blinks. He was furious with them, but she had a point. He did want to know what he was. He was almost positive that he as a Protector, but it would be good to confirm that officially.

"Alright. I'll go see the doctor. How long does it take to get the results?" He asks.

"Oh it's almost instant for the results. A few moments at most." She says and offers her arm to Sasuke.

"Good." He says and the young prince takes her arm, allowing his birth mother to lead him off.

Aiko mentally sighs in relief. Her hatchling wasn't completely lost to her after all. She had feared this might happen. The Queen had been terrified that Sasuke might think they had abandoned him. Now she knew that was exactly how he felt and she didn't know how to do it. She wanted to reach out to her son, but Aiko wasn't sure how to do so.

"Here we are. You can give a blood, hair, saliva, skin, scale, or sperm sample." She explains to him.

"Is there a difference in accuracy between the sample types?" Sasuke asks the mermaid.

She was a large mermaid with long blonde hair and cinnamon brown eyes. She had pink tail with a lavender pouch. The woman also had the biggest breasts that Sasuke had ever seen. (Which was saying something because Kitasha and his mother were definitely blessed with generous cleavage.)

"The only difference is the speed at which they are processed. Sperm sample is the fastest. Hair is the slowest. But even hair only takes five minutes to process. Sperm we can get a result in thirty seconds. Blood is the second fastest at a minute. It's a matter of comfort really." She explains.

Sasuke nods. He considers it. The youngest prince like most people, hated blood work. He definitely didn't feel in the mood to produce a sperm sample. Scale or skin sample just sounded creepy to him. He also didn't feel like spitting. Hair would probably be best.

He tugs off a stand of his hair and hands it to the Tsunade. He knew that was her name because of the nametag. She wore a nametag over her seashell top that said _**TSUNADE.**_

Tsunade places the hair into some sort of a machine. Five tense minutes later, a card pops out. She reads the result.

"Well that was a bit unexpected. It says you are a Nurturer." She says simply.

"WHAT?!" Sasuke demands.

"You're a Nurturer. That means you are more likely to get pregnant than to impregnate someone else. Of course, you can still do the fertilizing, if you desire. It will just take more effort. A lot more effort. Don't worry if you have a Mate who is also a Nurturer, eventually you would still be able to sire children. Well as long as you are very…lucky and intimate frequently." She explains as if this was all perfectly normal.

"Do the test again! That can't be right. I'll give a blood sample this time!" Sasuke pleads.

"Alright, but it's not going to change the result." She says and does the blood work.

A half hour later, Tsunade had run the test by using every sample material possible. With each Nurturer result, Sasuke grew more and more panicked. By the time they were finished, the young merman was a wreck.

"Oh sweetheart. It's not the end of the world. Lots of mermen are Nurturers. Really it's about a fifty/fifty split. Well maybe 55-45 would be more accurate for mermen, but still. It doesn't make you less of a merman." She assures him and tries to hug Sasuke.

"I need to be alone." Sasuke says as he swims out of the exam room as fast as his tail could carry him.

Itachi blinks when he saw Sasuke come barreling out of the room. He was actually rather impressed at Sasuke's speed. Idly, he wonders if Sasuke had copied a mermaid or merman with a speed talent.

He shakes his head. It didn't matter if his speed was natural or an acquired talent. There was really only one reason why Sasuke would race out of that room like that. He was a Nurturer. Itachi sighs and follows his half-brother.

"Sasuke, I know why you're upset. You got Nurturer. It's not the end of the world." Itachi offers once he swims over to Sasuke.

That was his mistake. Itachi didn't realize that his half-brother now knew what his talent was or that it was an offensive talent. When he reaches out to pat Sasuke on the shoulder, he got a NASTY shock.

"AHHHHHH! GOD DAMN IT, SASUKE! I WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP!" Itachi howls in pain and quickly jumps back a few feet.

"Touch me again and I'll see to it that you end up dinner at a fancy seafood restaurant. I doubt humans would be able to tell the difference between cooked merman tail and regular fish." Sasuke warns him.

"That's borderline cannibalism and rather sadistic. Well done. So is electricity your natural talent or did you acquire it?" He asks and circles Sasuke cautiously.

He didn't know how many times Sasuke could use it. Itachi also didn't know if that was Sasuke's highest, weakest, or average voltage either. Could his half-brother control when he used his talent? All of these were important questions.

"Why should I tell you? Hope you enjoyed that cheap shot at my shoulder. You aren't getting another." Sasuke warns him.

"Well I deserved that one. I attacked you first. It's good to see you are adjusting well to your new life. I'm right though, aren't I? You are a Nurturer." Itachi asks.

"IT'S NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMN BUSINESS!" Sasuke seethes at him.

Itachi shakes his head. He had the same reaction when he found out about being Nurturer. He knew that it could be a rather hard pill for many mermen to swallow at first. So he could certainly sympathize.

"Well your response says it all. I reacted similarly, when I got the same result." Itachi mutters.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

Itachi was a Nurturer. Well that made things a little better. At least his prick of a half-brother couldn't insult his masculinity. Well at least not without insulting himself.

"It's the luck of the draw, Sasuke. Besides, think about it this way. You have the ability to carry another being inside you. You're a life-giver. If it really bothers you that much, you can still fertilize your partner's egg. It will just likely take more tries to do so successfully. It really doesn't have to mean anything, unless you want it to." Itachi offers.

"Well I guess if it's optional and I don't have to get pregnant, maybe it doesn't matter. Suigetsu is going to laugh his ass off at me though. I mean he's going to laugh his tail off at me." Sasuke mutters bitterly.

Itachi cautiously pats Sasuke on the back in a comforting gesture. He sighs in relief when he didn't get fried. It looked like the other Prince of Atlantis was too blue to go blue. (His lightning abilities manifested themselves in blue lights, Itachi noted.)

"Suigetsu's not going to laugh at you. He's a merman. This is all very new to you, but he was raised to understand the roles of Nurturers and Protectors. He's not going to mock you for it. If anything, it's probably going to make him desire you even more now." Itachi states.

"Why would it make him want me more?" Sasuke asks cautiously.

He didn't know if he trusted Itachi, but he didn't think the other man was lying about this. He wouldn't pretend to be a Nurturer, if he wasn't. There wouldn't be a benefit to it. If he was a Protector, he would have been able to lord that over Sasuke. So he couldn't see a single reason why Itachi would lie about his Inner Nature.

"Well it would bring out his Inner Nature. Protectors all have an innate desire to protect Nurturers. He's already made it clear that he wants you. Now that he knows you're a Nurturer, he knows that you two are highly compatible. It's a natural instinct to want to Mate and spawn." Itachi says with a shrug.

Sasuke blinks. Spawn? Good grief, what had happened to his life?! Spawn?! It was like he was a fucking fish or something. Well he supposed in a way, he was. Apparently, he could lay an egg. This was all just so _bizarre._

"I guess that makes sense. I'd rather not have him know about it for now though." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"That's of course, your decision to make. Though considering the scene you just caused, I think he'll find out whether you tell him or not." Itachi warns him.

Sasuke gulps. Damn it. Suigetsu was never going to let him live this down. He could just hear the white haired merman's taunting now.

"I have the worst luck in the world." He grumbles.

"I felt that way after I found out I was a Nurturer. Many mermen have that reaction. It means nothing, if you don't want it to. Though I suppose we have a few things in common now. We are Nurturers and our potential Mates are Protectors." Itachi muses.

Sasuke blinks. Itachi was dating someone. He tries to wrap his mind around that, but just couldn't. Then again, Itachi was the High Prince and very attractive. (As much as Sasuke was loathed to admit it, that was just a fact.)

"Is your Protector that blue skinned…merman?" Sasuke asks tactfully.

"Yes. He's an Akatsuki. They are all blue skinned. Yes, his teeth are sharp and he's large for a merman, but he's still just merman. He's the same as you or I. Well once you get past his outward appearance anyway." Itachi says with a shrug.

"How's that work? I mean are they like a subspecies? Did mermaids and mermen like us evolve from them? Was it the other way around?" Sasuke asks.

"It's complicated. The most important thing is that we are biologically compatible." Itachi replies.

Sasuke nods. Well that was weird. He tried to picture Itachi and the Akatsuki together. Even just them kissing, was a hard image to wrap his mind around. Still he supposed it was none of his business.

"Um glad we had this talk. I hate you, somewhat less now." Sasuke says.

"Baby steps, I suppose. For the record, it's a rare merman that would dare to raise their voice at our father. That's goes for Nurturers AND Protectors." Itachi offers.

"Yeah. Thanks. I'm gonna go now." Sasuke says as he awkwardly heads back to his room.

It irked him on some level, but his first instinct was to swim right to Suigetsu for reassurance. His human mind rebelled against the idea. He was not a damsel in distress.

There was another part of his mind though, that was rather intent on seeking comfort. An almost _alien_ part of his mind. He knew that it was his merman side. Humans and mermaid/men were wired slightly differently, it seemed.

"How'd it go?" Suigetsu asks once he sees Sasuke swimming down the hall.

He look at Sasuke with more than a little alarm. His almost lover looked torn between fury, tears, confusion, and desperation. Shit. It must have gone badly.

"Not good. On the plus side, I electrocuted Itachi and we kinda patched things up. I think. Maybe. I don't know." Sasuke sighs and swims straight over to Suigetsu.

"Sassy, you look like a wreck. Come inside." Suigetsu says and guides the other merman into his bedroom.

"I am." Sasuke mutters and sighs in relief once they were alone.

He didn't waste any time. His newfound merman instincts were reeking havoc on him. Sasuke needed to be close to Suigetsu and badly.

"Calm down. Whatever it is, it can't be nearly as bad as you think it is." Suigetsu assures him and wraps his arms around the prince.

He did what any Protector would do. The white haired merman started purring loudly and running his hands over Sasuke's back in a soothing fashion.

"Maybe not. I had a fight with my parents, but they had it coming to them. Izuna snapped at Aiko. She provoked him by asking how I could trust either of them when they kept Itachi a secret from me. She chewed him out for keeping me a secret from Itachi. I snapped. She's the only one of the three that hasn't kept a secret from me or physically attacked me. It didn't seem fair." He admits.

"Sasuke, I really hope you aren't getting the impression that Kitasha is some kind of saint. When she wants to be, she can be as an adorable as an angelfish. But she can also be as terrifying as a great white shark, when the mood strikes her." Suigetsu warns him.

Sasuke shakes his head. No, he wasn't stupid. Kitasha was definitely a schemer. But as far as he could tell, she was an honest schemer. Which made no sense, but that was what he was going with.

"I'm not exactly ready to be best friends forever with her. Still from her perspective, she's really been wronged here. If I was in her shoes, well fins, I'd probably hate Izuna and Aiko as well." Sasuke states with a shrug.

"So you are just bummed because you had a spat with your folks?" The violet eyed man asks.

"No. I got tested to find out my Inner Nature. If you laugh at me, I'm going to electrocute your pouch off. I'm a Nurturer." He grumbles.

Suigetsu sighs. So that's what was really bugging him. Damn. The young merman knew that his almost Mate grew up as a human. The whole men having babies thing, was probably really freaky and frightening to him.

"You know just because you are a Nurturer doesn't mean you have to get pregnant. If it really makes you that uncomfortable, I could carry the egg. It'll take more tries to get me pregnant, but I am definitely not going to complain about more sex." He grins.

"You are such a pervert! You're also really arrogant. I never said that I wanted to have hatchlings with you." Sasuke snaps at him.

"You don't have to say anything. You swam straight to me, when you were upset. Because you knew that I'd make you feel better. That's my job. Doesn't matter if I carry the egg or not. I'm still the Protector in this relationship and it is a relationship. I can make you moan like a dolphin again, if you need me to prove it." He offers with a smirk.

"You are unbelievable." Sasuke growls.

"And you're beautiful. It's all going to be okay, Sassy. You'll see. I know things seem strange now, but it'll get easier. I promise." Suigetsu says and kisses his forehead.


	10. Chapter 10

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I am surprised that it looks like everyone wants the Reveal Stage, but I was secretly hoping that wouldn't be too exotic for everyone. So that's what we are going with. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation** : More Protector Suigetsu and Sasuke deals with his new merman instincts. Itachi and Kisame are old fashioned "romantics." Please remember that in this story mermen and mermaids live in a society that's very different than most of ours. They are more advanced in some ways and more primitive in others.

Chapter Ten

Several hours later, Sasuke was curled up contentedly in Suigetsu's lap. Well more specifically, the prince was laying where his boyfriend's lap would be, if he was a human. He closes his eyes and stretches out lazily in the other merman's lap, the picture of serenity.

"That's better." Suigetsu purrs as he runs as he runs his fingers through Sasuke's dark spiky locks with one hand and his other glides over Sasuke's tail.

He wasn't giving him a tail job. As much as Suigetsu was eager to claim his Mate, he knew that Sasuke was not in the mood. The young merman was clearly shaken by everything that had happened to him in the past couple months.

Sasuke was still adjusting to becoming a merman. He had recently discovered that he had a half-brother. Said half-brother had attacked him, but was now apparently being friendlier. He was also the Prince of Atlantis. As if that wasn't enough, he was a Nurturer. Oh and his family was practically at war with each other. Yeah, that would be more than enough to put anyone on edge.

"Mhm. Much better." Sasuke agrees and purrs in satisfaction.

Yeah, he was a pervert. It was hard not to be when you had such a gorgeous merman around you all the time, but even he had his limits. Sasuke needed reassurance, not fun sexy times. (Which he hoped were going to happen soon, but he could wait until Sassy was feeling better.)

"Good. Do you just want to stay here for the day? If anyone tries to bother us, I can tell them to fuck off for you." He offers.

"I'd like that." Sasuke says with a smile and pulls Suigetsu down for a kiss.

Suigetsu smiles. He returns the kiss. Oh yeah, he would definitely kick the tail of anyone who came between him and Sassy at the moment. He was perfectly content to just lay in bed all day with Sasuke, make out, snooze, and cuddle.

"Good. You should get some sleep. You've been running on pure adrenaline for awhile." He says and wraps a blanket over his Sassy, after breaking the kiss.

"Suigetsu, I'm fine. I don't need to go to sleep." Sasuke protests.

"Uh huh. So those bags are under your eyes because you suddenly decided to wear a lot of makeup then?" The white haired merman asks dryly.

Sasuke gives Suigetsu a dirty look for that one. Alright, he hadn't slept much since coming to the palace. It would be so easy just to drift off to sleep in his Mate's…well boyfriend's arms.

It was a bad idea though. He had two parents that were trying to bond with him. One brother that was possibly bipolar and had already crushed his shoulder one and his father's scheming ex to deal with. Yeah, he didn't think it was a good idea to let his guard down.

"Alright. Maybe I should get some sleep, but I don't really want to. My family is kinda in the middle of World War III." He mutters.

"Don't worry about that. I'll make sure they don't bug you." He promises.

"Now I get why they call you Protectors." Sasuke says with a smile and burrows into his blanket.

Suigetsu nods. That was better. He glides his hand along the curve of Sasuke's tail, over his hip. He purrs more to further soothe his future Mate.

"Exactly. Itachi got a cheap shot in, but I'm not going to let it happen again." The merman tells him.

"I know that Itachi isn't going to get another shot in. I'll fry his tail, if he tries anything." Sasuke says with a smirk and closes his eyes as he snuggles into his boyfriend.

"That's right, Sassy. So don't worry about it." Suigetsu agrees and kisses his forehead.

A short while later, Suigetsu hears a knock on the door. He growls in irritation. He gently moves Sasuke off of his lap and goes to answer it. There was no way in Hell, that he was going to let anyone disturb his badly needed sleep.

It was Kitasha. Yeah, Suigetsu was not in the mood to do this. He had just spent hours soothing Sasuke and now his father's ex wanted to see him? Fuck that!

"I see that my son was right. Sasuke is rather fond of you. You seem to be in his room a great deal." She muses.

"That's really none of your business. I'm his guide. I'm supposed to be showing him around. What do you want?" He demands.

Kitasha smirks. Suigetsu was just such a stereotypical Protector. It was almost _cute._

Maybe she wouldn't have to break them up, after all. Sasuke was already responding to her favorably. She could manipulate a Protector far easier than a Nurturer. They tended to be have more brawn than brains.

"I think you have the wrong impression. I merely wish to speak with Sasuke. That's all." She says.

"Uh huh. You want to _**talk**_ to Sasuke. That's _**ALL**_ you want to do, right? Hate to break it to you, but he's gay. He has no interest in mermaids. So don't even try it. You won't get anywhere." Suigetsu hisses at her.

Damn. That was a shame. Still she had been assuming that Sasuke preferred mermen to mermaids anyway. That was mildly inconvenient, but it would stop her from achieving her goals.

"What exactly are you trying to suggest?" The mermaid asks in a feigned innocent voice.

"That you were going to try to seduce him to get back at the King. It won't work." The white haired merman snaps at her.

Kitasha manages not to laugh. Oh yes, that was absolutely adorable. It was beyond words really. He was just so territorial of his intended. Children could be so cute.

"What you mean to say is that it won't work because he's yours?" The red head asks slyly.

"That's none of your business. Who he's courting or not courting, is none of your business. Leave him the fuck alone. Sasuke has absolutely nothing to do with any of your drama. He's not some weapon for you to use against Izuna. Got it?" He growls.

"I'll take that as a yes. If you truly care for him, consider what is really going on. Who do you think he should trust more? The King and Queen who abandoned him on a beach and didn't bother to tell him he had a half-brother or the woman who made sure his pouch wasn't damaged?" She inquires.

That was it. Suigetsu felt his eyes glow. He lunged at that treacherous bitch. He knew exactly what she was doing and he wasn't going to let it happen.

"HELP! HELP!" Kitasha cries out as she dodges his lunge, knowing that Sasuke would hear her cries.

Sasuke woke up with a start. Someone was screaming for help. He darts out of his room and blinks. Suigetsu was attacking Kitasha. He didn't know why.

"Suigetsu, stop it! What the Hell is going on?!" Sasuke demands and swims in the middle of them.

Suigetsu is forced to retract a punch. He would never hit his Sassy. That scheming eel though? Yeah, he would gladly hit her. How dare she try to manipulate his future Mate?! He should tear her to shreds!

"Oh thank goodness. Your lover tried to attack me. I know that it's only his Protector instincts reeking havoc on him. So I didn't want to have to hurt him, but still. He has the wrong idea about me. Izuna has filled his head with so many wicked lies about me. I can only imagine what sort of horrible falsehoods your father has told him." She says.

Sasuke looks at Suigetsu. Then he looks at Kitasha. Great. Just great. Now he was in the middle of whatever this was.

He bites his lower lip. Sasuke did want to learn more about being a merman and about his family. Kitasha could help him with that. He knew that whatever she said about his family should be taken with a grain of salt, but he would rather hear both sides of the story. If he said that though, Suigetsu would think he was nuts or feel betrayed.

"Suigetsu, thank you for trying to protect me. I know you were just doing what you think is right, but I think I should hear her out. I'll be careful." Sasuke says and kisses him quickly.

The white haired merman kisses back passionately. While Sasuke had only meant to give a reassuring kiss, Suigetsu was clearly in a take no prisoners mood. Sasuke felt himself melting into the kiss and groans when Suigetsu grabbed him by his ass (or where his ass used to be) and held him closely.

"You sure you wanna go with the bitch? We could just go back to your room. You could get some more sleep or we could continue this. Whichever you prefer." He says after breaking the kiss and caresses his cheek.

"That's really tempting." Sasuke says and his eyes start to glow.

He felt his body and mind enter a Civil War. His body was screaming at him to take that rather generous offer. The feeling of Suigetsu's strong hands on his tail and the lingering sensation of his heated kiss, was very seductive. His more rational side, knew that he would never get a better chance to get information out of Kitasha.

"I know it is." Suigetsu says smugly.

"I have to do this though. Just give me an hour and I'll come back. If I'm not back by then, you have my permission to go postal on her." Sasuke promises.

Suigetsu frowns. He saw Sasuke's eyes flash. He knew that his Sassy wanted to go with him. So why did he choose to go with that snake? It might only be for an hour, but still.

"Sasuke, that's not a good idea. Are you sure you really wanna go with HER?" He asks.

"I don't know if I want to go with her, but I kinda have to. I want to get both sides of the story. I'll be back soon." Sasuke promises him and rests his head underneath Suigetsu's briefly and gently nuzzles him.

He didn't know why he did that motion. It just felt right. It was actually a move that Nurturers used to calm their Protectors. Fortunately, Sasuke didn't need to know that. The move worked anyway.

"You realize that I can hear everything you are saying, correct?" Kitasha asks.

"Yeah. Is that supposed to matter to us?" Suigetsu replies and Kitasha rolls her eyes.

Clearly, Sasuke must be attracted to Suigetsu for his looks and strength. It definitely wasn't because of his intellectual prowess. The other merman should know better than to provoke her. It was borderline suicidal.

"Yes, I'm coming. I'll meet you in the library in a minute. Alright?" Sasuke asks Kitasha.

She nods and swims off. She could ignore Suigetsu's cheek. Sasuke was going to meet with her alone. That was what mattered most.

"Suigetsu, wait for me. Don't do anything crazy. I love you. Just because I'm talking to her, doesn't mean that's going to change or I'm going to try to lead a revolt against my parents." Sasuke assures him.

"Can you say that again?" Suigetsu asks.

"Just because I'm talking to her, doesn't mean that I'm going to lead a revolt against my parents?" The young prince asks in confusion.

Suigetsu shakes his head. Apparently, it had just slipped out. Sassy hadn't even realized it. He wasn't going to let that go though.

"The part about you loving me." He clarifies.

"Oh. I love you. Just try not to do anything stupid and get your tail killed." Sasuke says.

Suigetsu quickly captures Sasuke's lips with his own and shoves the prince against the nearest wall. He felt Sasuke warps his arms around his neck and return the kiss. Fuck Kitasha. He was dragging Sasuke back into their room for sexy fun times.

"Suigetsu, don't make me out to be a liar. I told her that I would be following her in a few minutes." Sasuke says as he looks at him with glowing red eyes.

"So? She's used to disappointment. Come on. Let's go back to our room. There's a lot of things that I want to show you." Suigetsu says and nibbles on Sasuke's ear.

"Suigetsu." Sasuke growls warningly.

He sighs and lets Sassy go. Suigetsu didn't like it, but he wasn't going to throw his weight around. He probably could stop Sasuke from going to Kitasha, but Sasuke would never forgive him.

"You said an hour. If it takes one second longer, I will charge in and turn her into sushi." He warns his prince.

"Okay." Sasuke says as he swims off to find Kitasha.

He soon arrives at the Royal Library and finds her. Sasuke eyes her warily. She'd been nothing but civil towards him, but there had to be a reason why Suigetus clearly hated her.

"I'm surprised that your Protector let you come." She muses.

"He didn't LET me do anything. I make my own decisions." Sasuke growls at her.

"Oh there is no need to be offended. I only meant that Protectors can be a rather pushy lot. They do it out of a place of love, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't get irritating sometimes. Believe me, you'll find that out shortly." She assures him.

"I didn't come here to talk about my relationship with Suigetsu. I came here to talk about my family. What happened between all of you?" Sasuke asks.

Kitasha nods sympathetically. She knew that if she was truly going to get Sasuke on her side, this was her best chance to do it. Choosing her words carefully was imperative.

"Your father and I married because it was a political match. It's common for royalty and nobility. It was never a love match and if one's Mate comes along, such unions are dissolved. But he went in fell in love with a human. Oh Izuna was "noble." He divorced me before Mating her, but then he got her pregnant. They abandoned you for the better part of two decades and kept Itachi's existence a secret from you. Do they really sound like the type of people you can trust?" She asks.

"Maybe they did the wrong thing, for the right reasons. I don't know. I'm not sure that I trust you. Suigetsu is lashing out at you pretty hardcore. I don't think he'd do that without a reason." Sasuke states.

She frowns. Maybe she would have to break them up after all. Suigetsu was clearly turning Sasuke against her. That wouldn't do at all.

"He's just being overprotective. He can't help it. He's a Protector. It's in his blood. Suigetsu is a loyal subject to the crown. That's all it is." She assures him.

"Well you've given me a lot to think about. I'm going to head back to Suigetsu. I promised him that I would be back soon." He mutters.

"Of course. He is quite the handsome merman. I can see why you find him physically desirable." She muses.

"It's more than that. Though somehow I doubt you could understand that." Sasuke says as he swims off.

Suigetsu sighs in relief when he sees Sasuke swimming towards him a few minutes later. He swims over to him as fast as his tail could carry him. He wraps his arms around the other man and spins him around joyously.

"Suigetsu, I was only gone ten minutes or so. Would you mind coming back with me to see my human family? I miss them and Naruto. I really need to get out of here for awhile and clear my head." Sasuke murmurs.

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Suigetsu agrees.

Meanwhile Itachi and Kisame were watching some chariot races. This was somewhat the merman or mermaid version of going to a sporting event. By human standards, this was a date. Mermen referred to it as courting though.

"My money is on the chariot with the sharks winning this one." Kisame muses.

"The sharks are fast. That's true, but the dolphins are far more cohesive as a unit. They are naturally social animals and have that advantage." Itachi says.

"Is there ever a time when that pretty little head of yours, isn't going a thousand tail strokes a minute?" Kisame asks in amusement.

Itachi shakes his head. Not really. He was the High Prince of Atlantis. It was his job to think things through. He had to plan for every single possibility. That was just part of being a good ruler.

"No. It might do you some good to look before you swim sometimes." Itachi muses and places a chaste kiss upon the other merman's cheek.

Kisame smiles. He glides his hand over Itachi's tail. The High Prince shakes his head in amusement at where his hand slid. He didn't think it was an accident.

"If you are really feeling that affectionate, perhaps we should skip the races." He muses.

"I'm always feel that way towards you. We might as well finish watching the race. You should be seen congratulating the racers and then we can go off. I still have some more of that squid." He offers.

Itachi chuckles. He leans over and kisses Kisame on the lips. Somehow the Akatsuki was being rather endearing at this moment.

He knew what Kisame was doing. His Protector side was trying to show off. It was an old trick. Itachi would even argue that it was positively primal. The message was rather clear though. _"I'm a good hunter. I can take care of you. You know that you want me."_

"Has anyone ever told you that you are extremely old fashioned?" Itachi asks in amusement.

"I'm an Akatsuki." Kisame replies as if that explained everything and maybe it did.

"I've noticed. My foolish little half-brother would probably laugh at me, if he found out that line actually worked on me. " Itachi says.

Kisame shrugs. He didn't think that Sasuke was likely to laugh at Itachi soon. The man had shattered his shoulder. Laughter was probably the last thing on his mind.

"That's what you're worried about? Itachi, you tore into that kid good. I doubt he's going to mock you anytime soon because you're an old fashioned merman." Kisame replies.

"That's right. I didn't tell you about my latest encounter with Sasuke. It's quite the intriguing tale." Itachi informs him.

Kisame raises an eyebrow. Well that did sound interesting. Not nearly as interesting as seeing if Itachi was up for a full mating yet, but still interesting. He supposed he could cool his libido for a little while.

He did want more from Itachi than just sex. He wanted a real Mating. (Though he also, really wanted to take that gorgeous merman hard against the nearest hard surface…preferably repeatedly.)

"You have my attention. What happened between you and the kid?" He whispers.

"I'll tell you after I congratulate the winners. It looks like I won that bet. The dolphin chariot one." Itachi says smugly and swims down to greet the racers.

Kisame chuckles. That was his Itachi. If nothing else, no one could ever argue that the eldest Prince of Atlantis had a commanding presence about him. Every eye in the stadium was immediately drawn to Itachi as he swam over to the mermaids and mermen who had just competed.

Itachi might never admit this, but he was something of a ham. He did enjoy being in the limelight. He loved to interact with the people. Of course, he always kept his composure. He would never let that dirty little secret out. But it was the truth.

"I wonder if the brat is going to be the same way." He asks himself.

Would Sasuke be a natural extraverted ruler like his elder half-brother or would he be more of a shadow ruler? It was hard to tell. The kid had only become a merman a few weeks ago. He doubted that Suigetsu would fall for a complete introvert though. It was likely once Sasuke became more comfortable with being a merman, he would also enjoy making public appearances.

"Congratulations on your win. You all raced well." Itachi says and quickly gives the mermaids and mermen who placed their prizes and a pat on the back for those that didn't.

After a few moments, he swims back to Kisame. Itachi swims off with his intended. He smiles as he easily swam side by side with the Akatsuki. Their bodies were just naturally in sync.

"So what happened with Sasuke?" He asks curiously.

"It's a long story. Father was giving mother a tongue lashing. Sasuke didn't take kindly to that. Mother has been trying to win him over. It seems to be working." Itachi begins.

Kisame raises an eyebrow. It was almost unheard of to hear someone challenge Izuna. Quite honestly, he knew many Akatsuki would never even consider it.

"Kid has some big scales on him." He muses.

"Yes, you could say that. Aiko was worried. She tried to break up the fight. She distracted Sasuke. She asked if he wanted to find out if he was Nurturer or a Protector. So he went off to get tested. After getting tested, he stormed off." Itachi continues.

The Akatsuki nods encouragingly. He was pretty sure he knew why Sasuke stormed off. Still he wasn't going to ruin Itachi's story.

"Then what happened?" The blue skinned merman inquires.

"I went after him. Suffice to say that he wasn't in the most social mood. He shocked me. Apparently, his talent is lightning. At least I think it's lightning. He might have acquired it. I'm not certain about how much control he has over this gift, but in any case…I realized he had to be a Nurturer. There was no other reason why he would be acting that way." The High Prince states logically.

"Yeah. That makes sense. Hybrid mermen have a very hard time when they find out they are Nurturers. It's hard for them. Human males can't carry babies. Hell, regular mermen have trouble accepting their status as a Nurturer sometimes." Kisame says sympathetically.

Itachi nods in agreement. He knew that he had been one of those mermen. He supposed it was ironic. Izuna was the archetype of a Protector, yet both of his sons were Nurturers. It was funny, in a twisted way.

"Indeed. So I talked to him a bit. I told him that I was also a Nurturer. That seemed to calm him down. He was worried that Suigetsu would laugh at him. I informed him that his status was likely only going to make the other merman desire him more. He did say he hates me somewhat less now. So I suppose that is progress." Itachi finishes with a shrug.

"Yes, that's progress. Well baby steps. Come on, Itachi. Let's go have some squid." He says cheerfully.

"Yes, lets." The dark haired merman agrees and he swims off with his soon to be lover to enjoy a romantic dinner.


	11. Chapter 11

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. In this chapter, we go back to the human world for a bit. I hope you all enjoy it.

 **Chapter Notation** : Utakata in the anime, is the host to the Six Tails. I wanted to choose someone unexpected and who I viewed as being potentially compatible.

 **SPOILER:** Obviously, Utakata isn't dead in this story like he is in cannon. It's an AU. So I feel that we can "bring him back."

Chapter 11

A short while later, Sasuke and Suigetsu arrived at the young prince's adoptive parents' home. Suigetsu looks around curiously. He had never actually been inside a human home before. Everything was fascinating to him, especially the tv!

"Sassy, these people are trapped in the box! We should help them!" He calls out in concern.

"Suigetsu, they aren't trapped. Think of those as moving portraits. The real people are not actually inside the box. That's called a tv. That's short for television. Most humans in this country have them. They are mostly for entertainment purposes. Think of the tv shows like plays." Sasuke explains.

The white haired merman blinks. Oh. So it was a play. He understood plays. He liked going to them, particularly comedies and adventure plays with sword fighting.

"Humans have a lot of strange magic. So they are able to shrink their images and put them in these boxes? What else can they do?" He asks curiously.

"Um that would take awhile to explain. MOM, DAD! I'm home! I brought Suigetsu with me." Sasuke calls out.

"SASUKE! It's so good to see you!" Mikoto cries out as she races down the stairs and hugs her baby.

"Sasuke! It's good to see you. You look good. I guess seafood agrees with you?" Fugaku asks with a dry chuckle.

"Yeah. You could say that. Look, this is the Suigetsu's first time in a human home. So he's probably going to ask a lot of questions. Humor him. I just had to explain to him what a tv was." Sasuke says.

His parents nod understandingly. Their world was just as foreign to the merman, as his was to them. Neither parent could help staring at Suigetsu's newly formed legs.

"Yeah. It's weird to be walking around like a two legger, but I can do it for a few hours. Oh and Sassy, you know I'm standing right here? I can hear everything you are saying to them!" He grumbles.

"I know." Sasuke says and kisses his cheek apologetically.

"Well we are happy to have you here and I suppose this makes us ambassadors to our species in a way. What would you like for dinner? Do you consider eating fish cannibalism?" Mikoto asks awkwardly.

Suigetsu laughs. It was obvious that Sassy's parents were at least trying to be nice. It wasn't their fault they had no idea what they were doing.

"Fish is fine. No, we don't consider it cannibalism. It would only be cannibalism if we ate another merman or a mermaid." The violet eyed youth assures them and Mikoto nods, looking rather relieved at this response.

"That's good to know. Well Naruto should be arriving soon. He's never late for dinner." Fugaku notes in amusement.

Sasuke nods. That much was true. Naruto was like a bottomless pit when it came to food. He had no idea where his friend put it all. Sasuke thought Naruto had some sort of inhumanly fast metabolism.

"BASTARD! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!" Naruto says as he rushes through the door and tackle hugs Sasuke.

"Hey! Paws off my Sassy!" Suigetsu hisses at Naruto and the blonde wisely jumps off Sasuke.

Fugaku gives Sasuke a confused look. His son sighs and explains it was a nickname. The elder Uchiha seemed satisfied with that explanation and nods.

"Suigetsu, I'm going to kick your tail if you kill my best friend. My mother will also murder you if you get blood on her new carpet." Sasuke warns him.

"Oh right. Well he just jumped you like that. I can't help it. Protector instincts." The white haired man says with a shrug.

Mikoto tilts her head to the side. Protector instincts? What was that? It sounded like it was important, but she didn't really understand. Somehow she thought that it was being used in a more specific sense than how humans would us that word.

"Mermaids and mermen are a little different than humans. Well actually a lot different. It's a very long story. I'll tell you later. Let's eat?" Sasuke suggests, eager to change the subject.

He wasn't really sure that he wanted to tell his father and best friend that he could have babies, just yet. It was one thing to grow a tail. It was another to lay a fucking egg. Sasuke also knew that Naruto would never let him live it down, once he found out. That was going to be very annoying.

"Good idea. I made lobster. I thought it was fitting, considering everything." Mikoto says with a smile.

As they were eating dinner, a thought occurred to Sasuke. He hadn't shown up for classes in weeks. He wondered what, if anything his parents had told his college.

"Hey, what did you guys tell them? I mean the college. I'm not swimming anymore and that kinda null and voids the scholarship. Don't you owe them the money? I'm apparently a Prince. I probably can pay for it, if they are harassing you." Sasuke offers.

"YOU'RE A PRINCE?!" The Uchihas and Naruto ask in shock.

"Yeah. It's a very long story, but like I said…I'm sure I could cover it. One of Suigetsu's ancient coins would probably more than cover it. You wouldn't believe the stuff he's got in there. It's like a fucking museum." Sasuke continues happily as he bites into his lobster.

Fugaku blinks. He had no idea that Sasuke was a prince. He just thought Izuna was a "regular merman." Well as regular as mermen could get anyway.

"I see. Well I hope you aren't too upset with us, but we just told them that you had run away. We have no idea where you went. You accepted the scholarship, not us. So the debt isn't in our name. If they find you though, they'd probably try to make you pay back a year's worth of your scholarship." He muses.

"Sakura was pretty upset." Naruto says.

"Who is Sakura?" Suigetsu asks in confusion and the blonde proceeds to explain she was a girl that went to their college that had a crush on Sasuke.

"Where does this Sakura live?" Suigetsu asks and his eyes glow an eerie shade of violet.

"Holy shit! What just happened to your eyes?" The young human asks in a terrified voice.

Sasuke swallows hard. Damn it. Naruto just had to go and make Suigetsu jealous, even if it was unintentionally. Now he had to figure out how to calm his boyfriend down. Sakura's crush might have been annoying at times, but he didn't want her murdered.

He rests his head on Suigetsu's shoulder and nuzzles him under the chin. Sasuke was relieved that the purring thing apparently worked in human form. He still didn't understand what it was about this gesture that calmed the other merman down so much, but he was grateful when he felt Suigetsu relax against him.

"Sorry. Our eyes tend to glow when we are upset. Kinda like how a cat puffs up to look more intimidating." The Protector explains.

"Oh. Right. Got it. So you two are pretty serious about each other. That's great. Leave it to his Royal Prissyness to fall in love with a "mythological" creature." Naruto teases Sasuke.

"His Royal Prissyness is going to kick your ass, if you don't shut up." Sasuke mutters with a faint blush.

Naruto laughs. He could see that Mikoto and Fugaku wanted to spend some alone time with Sasuke. He decides to throw them a bone and show Suigetsu around.

"Want me to give you a tour?" The blonde asks.

"Sure. You are in for a lot of pain if you call him that again though. We Protectors don't let people insult our Mates." Suigetsu warns him and walks off with Naruto.

Sasuke helps his parents with the dishes. The merman tells him about his new life. He decides to leave out the part about Itachi and Kitasha though. He didn't want his parents to worry.

"He called himself a Protector and you're his Mate…"Mikoto says and trails off, leaving the question to float in the air.

"It's complicated. Mermaids and mermen have genders, but the genders don't really mean much biologically. He's a Protector. I'm a Nurturer. Those are the two Inner Natures. I really don't want to talk about it." He mutters.

"Whatever it is, you can tell us. We aren't going to judge you." Fugaku assures him.

Sasuke sighs. He really didn't want to tell them about his Inner Nature. It was fucking embarrassing. The fact that Itachi was also a Nurturer helped a bit, but his parents were human. They would try to understand, but he didn't now if they could.

"I know, but I'm still processing it myself. It wouldn't be fair of me to expect you to wrap your heads around it, before I do." He whispers.

"Alright. You can tell us when you are ready. I'm glad you found someone. I just never expected your boyfriend would have a tail." Mikoto says with a giggle.

"Yes, he seems a friendly sort. Maybe a bit too possessive though?" His adoptive father observes with some concern.

"He's very friendly. No, he's not possessive. Well he is, but that's really normal for a merman. Don't worry about it." Sasuke assures his parents.

Suigetsu follows Naruto. The blonde shows him Sasuke's room and bathroom. The violet eyed man decides to experiment with the tv. It lands on an adult entertainment channel.

"I didn't know humans were voyeurs. Do you think Sassy would like any of those positions?" He asks thoughtfully.

"Oh boy." Naruto mutters and his eyes widen in terror when Sasuke walks in.

Damn it. Sasuke had just walked in on him watching an adult film with his boyfriend. This wouldn't end well.

"I swear it's not what it looks like! You know I wouldn't do that to you!" The blonde protests.

"Naruto, it's fine. I know you are straight as an arrow and Suigetsu should know that if he cheats on me, I'll turn him into sushi. I'll see you around next time? I only got about an hour before have to get going and I want to Suigetsu around more." Sasuke says.

The blue eyed man nods. He lets out a sigh of relief. Thank God. Sasuke didn't think that he was trying to steal his boyfriend. He was so lucky that his friend understood that he was 100% heterosexual.

"Alright. See you next time? I think it's awesome that you are a prince by the way. This means I'm best friends with royalty!" He exclaims excitedly.

"Yeah. I guess you can look at it that way. Later." Sasuke agrees and watches as Naruto heads off.

Suigetsu smiles. He darts over to Sasuke and pins him to the bed playfully. Sasuke shakes his head in amusement and arches against his boyfriend.

"You were so desperate for attention, that in the whole hour I was downstairs, you had to resort to the adult entertainment channel?" He asks.

"Well I was just exploring the wonders of tv. It happened to land on that channel. Besides, I've never had sex with someone who used to be a human before. I thought it might be educational." He purrs seductively into his ear.

Sasuke rolls his eyes and smirks. Yes, educational. Uh huh. Suigetsu had a purely academic interest in those films. Sure.

"Don't purr at me like that. We have a little less than hour, until we have to go back. I don't want to lose track of time and get stuck here in our true forms." Sasuke warns him.

"So you admit that I could distract you with my sexiness?" Suigetsu asks smugly.

"Suigetsu that was really not the point and nhhh! Th-at's really not fair." Sasuke groans when he felt the other man bite down lightly and kiss his neck.

The white haired merman smirks. He loved it when he made his Sassy moan. Dear Neptune, he wanted to bend that merman over and claim that sexy tail or ass in his case. Sasuke was right though. They only had fifty minutes.

Yeah. That wasn't going to be nearly enough time. He wanted to make Sasuke's first merman coupling VERY memorable. A quickie wouldn't cut it.

"Maybe we should leave early." He suggests.

"Yeah. We can always come back later. Let's go say goodbye to my parents and head off?" Sasuke offers and Suigetsu nods.

They go downstairs. Sasuke quickly informs Fugaku and Mikoto that they were leaving. He gives them hugs. After a few tearful minutes, Mikoto finally releases her huggle of doom and they head off.

"They seem nice." Suigetsu comments as they make their way to the beach.

"They are. I couldn't ask for better parents. Well other than them not telling me I was a fucking merman." Sasuke says with a shrug as he races back into the water.

It was odd. He already felt more at home in the water, than on land. In some ways, walking on two legs was strange to him now.

He hadn't been a merman for long, but he knew it wouldn't be long before his life as a human was a mere footnote in his existence. He'd likely outlive Mikoto and Fugaku by centuries and that thought saddened him. Still children were supposed to out live there parents. That thought made the truth about his lifespan a little easier to swallow.

"Sasuke, you have to at least give them a chance." Suigetsu says sadly as he follows him into the water.

"Kitasha may be a bitch, but she has valid points. How the fuck am I supposed to trust them?" Sasuke mutters and sighs in relief when he saw his tail reformed instantly.

"Well if you can't trust them, trust me. Your parents a wonderful rulers and they love you. They could have handled the situation better, but hey…you turned out alright. Oh and sexy as Hell. It was only for 19 years. You could easily live to be a thousand. Do you really want to throw away a good relationship with your parents that could last for centuries over that?" He asks and caresses his face.

Sasuke found himself purring at the gentle gesture. He sighs and rests his head on Suigetsu's shoulder. He didn't want to think about his birth parents, Kitasha, or anyone else besides his almost Mate at the moment.

"I'll think about it later. So did you learn anything interesting from the tv?" He asks with a smirk.

"Oh there were a couple moves that look like they might be fun." Suigetsu replies as he swims back towards Atlantis with his Sassy.

Meanwhile back in Atlantis, Kitasha sighs. She was going over a list of mermen who lived in the castle. She needed to find someone who could catch Sasuke's eye. Suigetsu was clearly going to be a problem.

"Sai is attractive, but his personality is odd. Sasuke might appreciate his artistic abilities, but he's so eccentric." She murmurs as she crosses his name off the potential list of suitors.

She needed to find someone roughly Sasuke's physical age, preferably close to his chronological age as well. Kitasha also needed to find a merman that Sasuke would view as sexually desirable.

The red head decides that it would probably be best to select another Protector. Sasuke was clearly attracted to that type. Most importantly though, she needed to find someone that was absolutely loyal to her.

"Haku might be a nice choice. He's certainly loyal and attractive. He's a Nurturer though and perhaps too feminine in appearance." She places Haku in the MAYBE column.

She glances at Deidara and dismisses him. He was attractive, but far too unpredictable. Hidan was completely uncivilized. He would never do. Sasori couldn't be trusted. Kabuto might have been a good choice, but he was more loyal to Orochimaru than her.

"He'll do quite nicely." She says as she notices Utakata's name.

The Protector was certainly attractive and loyal to her. He was a little bit older than Sasuke, but she didn't see the age difference as being large enough to dissuade the young prince. He liked mermaids and mermen equally, so she doubted it would be difficult to convince him to pursue Sasuke. Perfect.

She smiles and goes to find him. Kitasha knocks on his door. The young merman was nothing, if not responsive. It only took a moment or so for him to answer the door.

"Lady Kitasha? This is a surprise. What brings you here at this hour?" He asks in confusion.

It wasn't particularly late, but it was late enough that he doubted this was a casual visit. The former Queen must have something on her mind. Something important.

"It's quite a long story. Do you have a few moments to speak in private? I have concerns for the crown's safety." She inquires.

He blinks. The merman moves to the side and gestures for her to come in. Utakata couldn't help but feel more than a little alarmed at her greeting. She was worried about the crown's safety?

"What concerns you so greatly and how can I help, My Lady?" He inquires.

"You may wish to sit down for this. Most people are not aware yet, but Izuna and Aiko sired a hatchling while she was still human. He was a hybrid. He has now returned to Atlantis. His name is Sasuke." She begins.

"Do you fear that Sasuke means ill will towards our city?" He asks in concern.

She shakes her head. Hmm maybe she should have been more specific in her introduction. She didn't want the merman to think that Sasuke was a threat that needed to be eliminated. The Nurturer was far too potentially useful to take such extreme measures just yet.

"No. I actually have high hopes for him. He's already able manifest the Sharingan. His talent is either lightning or he acquired lightning somewhere along the way. He's intelligent enough to be wary about his current situation. I believe that Izuna may end up favoring Sasuke because he is the hatchling by his Mate and Sasuke resembles him so strongly in appearance." The red head continues.

Utakata nods. Those were valid concerns. Naturally, she would be worried about Itachi. Kitasha was after all, his mother.

"Even if that came to pass, Itachi would still be the Prince until Sasuke had children of his own. Assuming he sired hatchlings, Itachi's social status is still very high. If you are worried about your son's standing, I would not fret on it overly much. It would be a blow to his pride, but he would not suffer seriously as a result." He tries to assure her.

"Oh it's not that. I'm not that shallow. It's the fact that Sasuke is so new to our world. His guide does care for him a great deal, but is rather playful in nature. I worry that he may not be getting education that he will need to lead, if he is named Izuna's heir." She replies.

Utakata frowns. That was true. It was impetrative that this "Sasuke" be taught as much as possible about what it took to rule.

"You would like for me to…assist his guide in a supplementary way?" He asks tactfully.

"Indeed. On a more personal note, the boy likely feels very alone down here. He's in a completely new world and barely knows anyone. A handsome friendly face would likely go a long way towards making him feel more comfortable. He prefers mermen. Sasuke is also a Nurturer." She adds.

The merman blinks. That was surprising. Izuna was such a Protector. It was shocking that both of his sons were Nurturer types. Still that might not be a good thing.

That meant that every Protector type would see an opening to Mate into the Royal Family. Protector types were far more aggressive than most Nurturers. That merman was likely going to be stalked without mercy.

"Are you trying to say that you wish for me to court him?" The Nobleman inquires cautiously.

Kitasha nods her head vigorously. Perfect. Now the merman was getting it. He had taken the bait. She just had to reel him in.

"Precisely. You are a strong Protector. You're a little bit older than him, but he might find that appealing. After all, we all seek reassurance in unfamiliar settings. An older, more established male might appeal to his Inner Nature rather nicely." She agrees.

"You said he looks like King Izuna?" Utakata questions her.

"I would almost say that they were identical twins, were it not for the age gap." The red head confirms.

The Protector considers this. Well if he really did look that much like Izuna, there was no denying that Sasuke was bound to be one magnificent merman from a physical perspective. Kitasha wouldn't speak so highly of someone who was dim witted. So at the very least, he knew that the Nurturer was attractive and intelligent. Usually, one was lucky to find a lover with one of those qualities.

"You have my attention. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to meet the man and to consider the possibility." He admits.

"Wonderful. I would take you to him, but he's feeling a little suspicious of me and his parents at the moment. Who knows what sort of awful ideas they have been putting into his head about me?" She reasons.

He finds himself nodding. Utakata knew that it had been a rather brutal divorce. Most mermaids and mermen ended up having rather amicable divorces. If you found your true Mate, everyone understood that any legal unions would be dissolved. That hadn't been the case with King Izuna and Lady Kitasha.

When local gossip was scarce, it was still quite the scandal. Kitasha was widely considered to be one of the most beautiful, intelligent, and strongest mermaids around. People had thought that Izuna must have been out of his mind to choose a human over her. That was until they saw Aiko.

The two women were more than evenly matched in any area that you could imagine. Utakata would have chosen Kitasha because she had experience ruling, but other than that…it would have been a difficult choice to make. He was grateful that he hadn't been in Izuna position. Damn.

"I shall go see if I can find him. It shouldn't be difficult to identify him." He states with a smile.

"That's true. Good luck. He may play coy at first. He's rather shy, but don't let that dissuade you. I think that's mostly due to his youth." Kitasha advises him and Utakata nods before swimming off to find the young prince.


	12. Chapter 12

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Sasuke wouldn't stray. He was just commenting observing his surroundings. I think you guys will like the ending to this chapter though ;).

Chapter 12

"Suigetsu, I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want you to go with them. Is it really a good idea to try to herd a group of hammerhead sharks?! You could get killed!" Sasuke exclaims a few days later.

"Sassy, what's my talent?" His boyfriend asks in amusement.

Sasuke frowns. Well yeah, Suigetsu's talent was obviously versatile. But still he was going to go up against a group of fucking sharks! That was never a good idea.

Sharks were arguably one of nature's most perfect predators. There was a reason why they had outlived the dinosaurs. Now Suigetsu and a group of mermen were going to "herd" the wild sharks away from Atlantis?! This was madness.

"You control water. I still don't want you to go out and get eaten by a shark." Sasuke protests.

"I'll be fine. I've been herding sharks since I was barely more than a hatchling. It's nice that you are worried about me though. You should explore the palace more. I imagine your parents are going to make your announcement soon, so you can explore the city." Suigetsu says and kisses Sasuke.

Sasuke kisses back and wraps his arms around the other merman's neck. He couldn't believe that his almost lover was going off to fight hammerheads. This was insane.

"If you die, I will find a way to revive you. Then I will kill you again." The prince warns him after breaking the kiss.

"I don't doubt that for a minute. I'll be back soon. I love you, Sassy. A school of sharks is not to keep me away from you. I promise." He says and swims off.

Sasuke sighs. He swims back towards his room. As he was heading there he noticed another merman. The raven haired merman had never seen him before. He idly notes that the mermaids in the palace must be after this guy's tail hardcore. He was gorgeous by anyone's standards.

He had chocolate brown hair that reached to his neckline. One long bang covered his right eye completely. His eyes were amber in color. The merman had sky blue tail and a royal blue pouch. His well sculpted chest was on display. Sasuke estimated that the man looked like he was in his early to mid-twenties.

"Sasuke?" He calls out in a velvety voice.

Sasuke blinks. How did this merman know his name? He had never spoken to him before. Actually, Sasuke hadn't spoken to many people in Atlantis yet.

He was mostly socializing with his birth parents, Suigetsu, Itachi, Kitasha, and Jugo these days. Oh and he had briefly met a few mermen and mermaids before acquiring their talents, but he didn't really count them. The conversations had been rather brief.

"Yes. Who are you?" He asks in confusion.

"Forgive me. I'm Utakata. I couldn't help, but over hear Jugo and Suigetsu discussing you the other day. I just wanted to introduce myself." He says.

It sounded plausible. Jugo and Suigetsu hung out a lot. Sasuke wasn't threatened though. He was almost positive that Jugo preferred mermaids and he certainly didn't strike the youngest Uchiha as being untrustworthy. So yeah, he didn't mind the roommates hanging out. It was possible that the other merman had overheard them.

"Pleasure." Sasuke says.

He didn't really know what a prince was supposed to say when meeting a subject. Sasuke frown as he realizes, that he barely knew how to be a merman. He knew absolutely nothing about being a prince, other than what he had heard in fairytales. He should probably talk to someone about that.

He dismisses his parents immediately. Sasuke didn't think they were bad people. Sasuke just couldn't fully forgiven them for "abandoning" him, yet. Suigetsu and Jugo didn't strike him as the types that knew about the finer points in ruling. He almost had to go with Itachi by default.

"Likewise. You seem a bit…distressed? Is there anything that I can help you with, my __prince?" He inquires softly.

Sasuke blinks. The words were casual enough. He was expressing concern for his prince's well-being. Maybe Utakata would ask any merman the same question just out of empathy, it was more the way he said it that caught Sasuke's attention.

It was subtle. Utakata wasn't coming onto him too strong, but he was definitely emphasizing the word _**my.**_ There was a seductive undercurrent to his tone. His flirtation was subtle enough, that Sasuke could pretend to be oblivious…if he wasn't interested.

"That's kind of you to offer, but I don't believe so. I'm still adjusting to **all** of this." Sasuke replies and makes a wave with his hand to gesture towards their grand surroundings.

"Of course. I can't imagine what I would do, if our positions were reversed. This must all seem so strange to you. Try not to worry too much. There are many people here, who would be happy to help you adjust. Myself included." He offers.

 _Protector,_ Sasuke thought. It was a bizarre feeling. It wasn't painful, but there was a trickling sensation in the back of his mind. Somehow he knew that this was the merman part of his brain.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he would call this the more primitive part of his brain, but it was definitely primal. It liked Utakata a lot. The young prince mentally dubs his merman instincts the "blue" part of his brain.

The blue part of his brain saw an attractive, cultured protector. Sasuke was smart enough to realize that this was likely just his Nurturer side, looking for a potential Mate. Thankfully, even his instincts preferred Suigetsu.

"That's good to know. Thank you. I'll see you around?" Sasuke asks.

Utakata pauses. Well he was pretty damn sure that the prince realized that he was expressing a subtle admiration of him. There had been recognition in those ruby red orbs. The Sharingan could be quite expressive.

The younger merman was clearly trying to leave though. This was contradictory. His body language certainly seemed receptive at first, then he had tensed up. Now he wanted to leave?

He shakes his head and dismisses it. Kitasha had said that Sasuke was likely to be shy. That's likely all it was.

"Of course, Your Highness. Though if you wish, I could give you a tour. Have you seen the chariots yet?" He asks.

"Chariots?" Sasuke inquires in surprise.

"I'll take that as a no. There is more to being a merman than swimming around. We have our own culture, as I'm certain humans do." He explains.

Sasuke feels his face heating up. He just hadn't really thought about it much, but it was obvious that mermaids and mermen had an advanced society. Simply put, he had been too preoccupied with his personal struggles, to think about much else. He really should remedy that.

Of course mermen and mermaids had a culture. They had a Monarchy for fucksake. Surely, there was more to being a merman than just finding a Mate and dealing with your crazy family.

"There are a lot of human cultures. It's complicated, but I would love to see the chariots." The raven haired merman says.

There wasn't any harm in it. Suigetsu was going to be gone for awhile. Why not kill some time, by looking at the chariots?

Utakata might be into him, but Sasuke preferred Suigetsu. He loved Suigetsu. Utakata was just attractive and activated the blue part of his brain. Suigetsu did that even more though. Still it would be nice to make a friend down here.

He mentally sighs. Damn he wished Naruto could have come with him. Sasuke knew it wasn't possible though. Well actually it was possible, but the blonde would have to fall in love with a mermaid first. That didn't seem likely. (He seemed happy with Temari.)

"Wonderful. You strike me as the adventurous type. I imagine you'll favor the tiger shark chariots." He muses as he offers Sasuke his hand.

Sasuke doesn't take it, but he swims at Utakata's side. He didn't want to lead the other merman on. It wasn't like he had any idea that the prince was already taken and it would be rude to mention it. Utakata hadn't actually come onto him in a way that was overtly obvious. He could deny it easily and make Sasuke feel like a fucking clownfish for suggesting that he was.

"Tiger sharks?!" Sasuke repeats incredulously and follows Utakata to the courtyard. (Well at least that's what Sasuke thought it was.)

The young merman blinks in awe. There was a large structure, which he guessed was the equivalent of a stable in the center. There were dozens of chariots outside it. The chariots were made of gold, silver, marble, and in some cases even coral. They all had sea animals harnessed to them.

A rather diverse aquarium of them, at that. Dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, octopuses, squids, orcas, and even some Bulga whales. Dolphins seemed to be the most popular, with sharks coming in second. Probably because dolphin's didn't have such menacing teeth.

"Wow. This is like something straight out of a movie." Sasuke observes in awe.

Utakata nods. He didn't know what a movie was, but he figured it was a human thing. Still it was progress. The young prince was clearly interested in the chariots. (Then again, most mermen were.)

"Sasuke, come with me. I want to start your training." He hears a familiar voice call out to him.

The youngest Uchiha turns his head and blinks when he saw Itachi. What was his half-brother doing here and why was he looking at the other merman so suspiciously? Was Itachi actually trying to "rescue" him?

"Good morning, High Prince Itachi. I hope you don't mind. I had no idea that you had made plans with Sasuke. I look forward to getting to know you better." Utakata says and kisses Sasuke's hand in a very old fashioned gesture, before he swims off gracefully.

"Good morning, Utakata. That is PRINCE Sasuke. He might not have been formerly crowned yet, but it is still his birthright." Itachi chides him in a not so gentle way.

"Of course. Please forgive my slip of the tongue." He calls out just before he swims out of earshot.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Itachi was defending Sasuke's "royalness." That was unexpected.

"I know what you are thinking. We need to talk, you and I. Preferably without you trying to electrocute me." Itachi states as he drags his brother back into the palace and into an empty room.

"Shut the door. We need our privacy." Itachi states and Sasuke shrugs, before doing exactly that.

Itachi mentally sighs. He couldn't believe that his mother would sink this low. Well he could, but he couldn't. It was one thing to try to use a handsome mermen to win Sasuke over, when he wasn't claimed. But it was obvious that he was now involved with Suigetsu.

That is where Itachi drew the line. Breaking up a couple that was likely well on their way towards becoming Mates, was just a bridge too far. The merman was actually a bit disturbed that his mother would attempt such a thing.

"You realize that Utakata is an unmated Protector, correct?" Itachi asks.

"I figured as much. It doesn't matter though. He doesn't know about Suigetsu and I'm not interested in him." Sasuke says with a shrug.

Itachi raises an eyebrow at that last statement. He gives Sasuke a look that said quite clearly what he thought of that denial. Itachi wasn't buying it.

"Really? It's nothing to be shamed of Sasuke. You are a Nurturer. It's natural to be attracted to strong Protectors. It's just instinct. It doesn't mean that you act on it. It's possible to be in a relationship and still be honest enough with yourself when you see someone who is physically desirable." His brother reassures him.

"Alright. Utakata is nice to look at, but I'm in LOVE with Suigetsu." Sasuke says.

"I believe you when you say that. The smartest thing you can do about Utakata is make it clear that you are already being courted by someone. As you said, he doesn't realize you are already with someone. He's a good merman. Honorable. He'll cease his flirtations, once he realizes that you are in love with someone else." The elder prince advises.

Sasuke nods. He would just have to let the other merman down easy. After all, he hadn't actually done anything wrong. Hell, if he wasn't with Suigetsu, he definitely would have been interested. That didn't matter though. He was in love with Suigetsu and that was that.

"You're putting on quite the performance. I'd almost believe that you were just a protective older brother, looking out for me. I can't help but wonder why though. You're the merman who shattered my shoulder for now reason and now I'm supposed to believe that you have my best interests at heart?" Sasuke asks skeptically.

Itachi sighs. He couldn't blame Sasuke for holding a grudge. The older merman certainly wouldn't have trusted Sasuke, if positions were reversed. Still he knew that it was important to win over his trust.

"You are understandably wary of me. I didn't make the best impression. Our first meeting was not nearly as cordial as it could have been. I do regret this. I lost my temper and can make no excuse for it. I shouldn't have attacked you in that fashion." The crimson eyed merman says.

Sasuke thought that was the understatement of the century. Not as cordial as it could have been?! He was kidding him, right?

"That's putting it rather charitably." The young prince observes.

"Yes, I know. While I know that you will likely attract your fair share of attention, I don't think Utakata's interest is purely coincidental. I love my mother, but she's…" Itachi trails off as he tries to come up with a suitable description.

"Scheming bitch?" Sasuke offers "helpfully."

Itachi twitches. He couldn't protest the accuracy of that label. Still that was his mother. He loved Kitasha. Sometimes she just pushed the boundaries of what was ethical, in her pursuit of power. That was all.

"I was going to say that she can be rather manipulative when it comes to achieving her goals." Itachi growls in annoyance.

"Oh you don't like it when I insult your mother? How does it feel when the shoe is on the other…fin?" Sasuke demands.

"I deserved that one. Well I have warned you about what is likely going on. What you choose to do with the information is up to you. Still I was not lying earlier. You really do need to be trained in your abilities." His brother informs him.

Sasuke nods. Well that was true. He needed to practice his talent. This was especially, true considering what was going on with his family.

"Yeah. So are you volunteering to be my punching bag? I could work with that." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are moderately sadistic?" Itachi asks.

"Only moderately? Guess I'm going to have to electrocute your dick off or something. Moderately is disappointing." Sasuke says and his eyes glow.

"That's the spirit. Let's get started with your real training." Itachi says with a smirk and lunges at the younger merman.

A few hours later, Sasuke is back in his room. He was covered in bruises. The training had been intense. On the plus side, he had learned how to summon his lightning voluntarily, rather than just have it be an instinctive defense mechanism. So that was a start.

"Sassy, I'm back. What the fuck happened to you?" Suigetsu asks when he swims into their room.

"It's a long story. Itachi was training me. Don't worry. For once, he wasn't being a dick. He just didn't baby me. How did the shark herding go?" The raven haired merman inquires.

Suigetsu was happy that Itachi wasn't being a "dick" to his brother. Still he wasn't particularly happy to see all those bruises on his Sassy. He immediately gets into the bed with him and wraps his arms around Sasuke.

That's when he noticed it. It was the scent of another Protector's desire all over Sasuke. It wasn't mingled with his future Mate's. The white haired merman knew that Sasuke hadn't actually Mated with the other male. The scents also didn't seem to be touching, so he doubted that they had had much, if any physical contact. Still his instincts did NOT care for that at all.

"It went alright. Who was he?" Suigetsu asks and his eyes glow, his teeth lengthening before Sasuke's eyes.

"Who was who? I just told you that I was training with Itachi." Sasuke says and backs up a couple inches, realizing that Suigetsu was pissed.

"I can smell Itachi on you. I recognized his scent right away. Who was the PROTECTOR that was apparently drooling all over you? I can smell him on you. Mermen can identify sexual desire by its scent. So can mermaids." He demands.

Shit. That would have been nice to know. Damn it. Suigetsu didn't seriously think that Sasuke was cheating on him, did he?

"Suigetsu, it wasn't like that. He was just some guy that offered to show me the chariots. Yeah, I think he was kinda into me. But NOTHING happened." Sasuke assures him.

"Oh I know you didn't sleep with him. I could tell by your scent, if you had. You're loyal, but you can't really help it. You're new to all this. Your instincts are strong now and he might take advantage of that. So who was he?" Suigetsu asks again.

Sasuke sighs in relief. Well at least Suigetsu didn't actually think he was cheating on him. So that was good news. He really didn't think it was good idea to tell his boyfriend about Utakata though.

"I'm not telling you that. You'll kill the guy. He didn't even actually hit on me, not directly anyway. It was more that he was being a bit friendlier than normal. That's all. He didn't try to kiss me or anything like that. Don't worry about it." Sasuke says.

Yeah. That was probably the wrong thing to say. Suigetsu soon has Sasuke pinned underneath him. The younger merman squirms as he was laying on his stomach.

"Sasuke, I really don't think you fully understand this whole Inner Nature thing. It's your nature as a Nurturer to be attracted to Protectors and it's natural for Protectors to try to win over sexy Nurturers like yourself. I know that humans probably think it's primitive, but to a certain degree…we really can't help it." The violet eyed merman says as he licks the back of Sasuke's neck.

"No. I got it. I understand. You don't have to worry though. You're the only one that I want. Yes, he's nice to look at. But that's it. It doesn't mean anything." Sasuke promises and tries to wiggle out of Suigetsu's hold.

Suigetsu could hear what Sasuke was saying. He knew that the other man was not lying to him. He could hear the sincerity in his voice and his scent was honest. Still he couldn't help it. His instincts were screaming at him to just solve this issue.

There was a really easy way to do so. If he Marked Sasuke and he Marked him back, other Protectors would instinctively back off. A Claim was respected, no matter how desirable you might find someone.

"You really mean that?" Suigetsu asks as he places soft kisses, licks, and love bites along Sasuke's exposed back.

"Of course, I do." The prince replies and slowly begins to react.

Suigetsu had been jealous, but he wasn't going to launch into a rage. Well at last not if the necking was anything to go by. That felt nice. Sasuke finds himself purring.

"So you want to be with me and just me then?" The white haired merman inquires and bites down a little harder.

Sasuke blinks. Suigetsu had only broken the skin like that one other time. It wasn't nearly as hard as the almost Marking that Itachi had interrupted, but still. It was hard enough to get his attention.

Embarrassingly, he could feel the bulge stage starting. His Inner Nature was apparently just delighted that Suigetsu was turning his neck into a chew toy. Despite this merman erection, he manages to answer Suigetsu's question.

"Yes." The raven haired merman replies quickly.

"So would you let me Mark that pretty skin of yours and Mark me back? That way everyone will know that we belong to each other and I won't have to kill this pervert who was totally lusting after your fine tail. Not that I blame him. At least he has good tastes, but I'm going to have to beat him bloody…if he doesn't back off." Suigetsu continues.

"What happens if we Mark each other? Itachi said it was like a marriage, but it was implied there is more to it than that." Sasuke questions his boyfriend, somewhat nervously.

Suigetsu turns Sasuke around. He figured it was important that the other man could see his eyes as he explained everything to him. He wanted Sassy to understand how serious this was.

"It creates a permanent Mark on your neck and a bond. We can't read each other's minds, but if we try we will be able to sense each other and know what the other is feeling. It also increases our chances to have hatchlings. That and everyone will know that we belong to each other. After the Markings, we'll both fall into a sleep for a few hours. This will allow the bond to fully form." He explains.

"Isn't that dangerous? I mean if we were out in the wild, wouldn't predators be able to attack us while we were asleep?" Sasuke asks.

"A protective barrier forms as well. It's like a force shield or a cocoon. Trust me, no one has figured out a way to break it. We'll be perfectly safe." Suigetsu assures him.

Sasuke considers it. A mind link? Sheesh. Mermaids and mermen took their Matings seriously.

Sasuke's merman instincts and human mind suddenly went to war with each other. His human mind was a little skittish at such an intimate relationship. It was one thing to marry someone. It was another to actually share "head space," with them. His blue mind was just fine with the idea though. Thank you very much.

"Alright. Maybe you should bite me first. That way I can see how it's done?" Sasuke asks.

"Don't worry. It's instinct. You'll know what to do, when it's your turn. But yeah, I'll go first. You won't regret this. I promise. I'll be a really good Mate." Suigetsu whispers and caresses Sasuke's cheek as he pulls the other man into his lap.

Sasuke allows himself to be maneuvered and tilts his head to the side. He shivers a bit. Part of his mind was not that fond of the idea of having shark like teeth inserted into his neck. The other half of his mind was strangely aroused by the idea.

"I know. I wouldn't have agreed to it, if I didn't think you'd be a good Mate." Sasuke says with a smile.

"That's my Sassy. Feisty as fuck, even when you are nervous." Suigetsu muses as he bites down on Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke felt himself moan and his tail swiftly turn into legs. That felt good. Really, really fucking good. It was like someone had just shot liquid lust into his veins or something. His teeth lengthen and he sinks them into Suigetsu's neck immediately.

He hears Suigetsu moans. That's when a bright violet and blue light surrounded them. It eventually formed into a dome over them. Suddenly, Sasuke felt very sleepy. He didn't fully understand it, but he knew that the dome was somehow responsible for his sudden sleepiness.

"It's okay. Sassy, just go to sleep." Suigetsu whispers as he lays down and pulls Sasuke into his arms.

"Mhm." He mumbles and snuggles into the arms of his new Mate, drifting off into a deep sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad that everyone is happy about the Mating. I'm going to start granting a request in this chapter, but I won't say which one ;). It's a surprise. Anyway, I hope you guys all enjoy this chapter. You are awesome.

 **Chapter Notation:** Yes, it's lemon time. Reveal Stage Style. That means merman x merman coupling in all it's exoticness. Warnings put up before and after. This type of lemonade may not be for everyone. There is some animalistic lust and adult language involved. You have been warned.

Chapter 13

Hinata had been swimming down the hall, when she noticed beautiful lights emitting from Sasuke's bedchambers. That could only mean one thing. The prince had mated.

The young mermaid had been quietly observing the situation recently. The Nurturer was just easily able to slip into the background as the Royal Family tried to sort out their "misunderstandings." It was quite the epic tale really.

That was how she knew of Sasuke's existence, the he was a prince, and about the former hybrid's exploits to the surface world. The Hyuga mermaid knew that Sasuke left Atlantis once a week to visit with his human family. They would be terribly worried about him , if he didn't show up. So she decides to let them know what was going on.

"I better get going. There isn't any time to waste." She whispers to herself.

She quickly swims to the beach where Suigetsu had found Sasuke. The bluenette hoped that luck would be on her side. The mermaid desperately wished that one of Sasuke's human loved ones, would be on that beach. As it happened, she got her wish.

Naruto was there. She recognized him instantly from Suigetsu's description of him. Hair like the Sun and eyes as blue as the ocean. This had to be the prince's friend. She could warn him that Sasuke wasn't going to be returning this week and all would be well.

Naruto sighs and is unaware that he was being watched. The blonde couldn't help but feeling a little depressed. Temari had just told him last night that she had been accepted into graduate school. That should have been great news, right?

Wrong. She had been accepted into Suna University. It was one of the best schools in the country. Unfortunately, it was also over a thousand miles away from Konoha University.

"I guess I can't really blame her. It's not like we were dating that long. I can't really expect her to give up an opportunity like that for me." He mutters.

So they had parted on good terms. They had both decided that neither of them were really long-distance people. Temari and Naruto were both very physical beings. Chatting online or on the phone, just wasn't going to cut it. Despite that, the breakup still stung. He had really liked her.

The blonde knew that it wasn't love. But maybe it could have turned into love. She was beautiful, smart, and a great kisser. What wasn't' to like about the feisty sorority girl?

"I can't believe that Sasuke can make it work with a merman, but distance ends my relationship. Lucky bastard." He mutters to himself as he walks along the beach, skipping rocks.

"Owe!" He hears a feminine voice call out.

Naruto blinks. He looks around in confusion. He thought he was the only one on the beach. About twenty feet away though, he sees a head of midnight blue hair and exotic lavender eyes that seemed to have a slight silver shimmer to them.

"Oh! Damn. I'm sorry. I didn't realize someone was in the water. How badly did I hit you?" He asks in concern and quickly wades into the water, to help.

"It's okay. It didn't hit me th-at hard. It mostly just surprised me." The woman says and backs up when Naruto gets closer to her.

She was neck deep in the water. Naruto didn't think anything of it at first. When he got closer though, he felt something brush against his leg. Something scaly. It felt like how Suigetsu's tail.

"You're not…from around here, are you?" He asks cautiously.

"Not really. I j-ust came to tell you that Prince Sasuke won't be coming to visit this week. I saw the dome lights emitting from his bedchambers." She says.

Naruto had no idea what that meant. Clearly this woman was a mermaid though. A shy mermaid at that.

"What do you mean by dome lights?" The blonde asks, suddenly feeling rather concerned for his friend.

"When our kind take a Mate, a dome forms around the newly mated pair to protect them while they sleep and their bond forms completely." The lavender eyed mermaid says as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

Naruto blinks. Well it might actually be the most natural thing in the world to her. His mild depression was soon replaced by concern for his friend and curiosity about this strange new world that Sasuke now lived in.

"So he's not hurt, right? I mean he'll be okay?" The blue eyed man asks.

"Oh no! He's not hurt. He's just sleeping and when they wake up, well it will be similar to what two leggers call a Honeymoon. I just thought that it would be a good idea to tell you because I know that he visits his adoptive parents once a week." She explains.

Naruto gapes at Hinata. The mermaid had just said that Sasuke was MARRIED. This was unbelievable!

"That bastard got married and he didn't even tell me?!" He demands.

"Mermaids and mermen Mate. That's different than a wedding. A wedding involves a ceremony. A Mating doesn't. It was likely a spur of the moment decision. When you find the one, you just know." She says firmly.

The blond tries to wrap his mind around the fact that apparently Sasuke had "eloped" or something. It was very difficult to do. Still none of this was Hinata's fault. She was just the messenger. He didn't want her to think the he was mad at her, so he dials it down a few notches.

"Oh right. Well thanks for that. Yeah, Mikoto and Fugaku would flip. I'll let them know. What's your name? I'm Naruto." He tells her.

Hinata pauses. She wasn't really sure if she should tell a human her name. Then again, this was the prince's best friend. Surely, if Sasuke could trust him with the truth, she could trust him with her name?

"Hinata." She answers.

"That's a really pretty name. So is your tail green like Suigetsu's?" He asks curiously.

"Oh no. Our people's tails come in many colors." Hinata replies, deciding that Naruto seemed friendly enough and that revealing that little fact wouldn't hurt anyone.

Naruto nods at that information. Well that made sense. Sasuke's scales had clearly been darker than Suigetsu's. It looked like mermaids and mermen had a whole rainbow of colors their tails could come in. Neat.

"Can I see yours? I bet yours is beautiful." He asks.

Hinata pauses for a minute. Well she had already told him that she was a mermaid. There wasn't really much of a point in hiding her tail from him. She slowly raises her tail just enough that he could see it.

Naruto looks at her rather awestruck. Her tail was mostly snowy white, but she had a lavender "belt" and matching flippers. Hinata was also wearing a rather large set of lavender seashells over her ample breasts. She was definitely a fairytale mermaid.

"Wow." He says and Hinata blushes at the praise, before sliding her tail back underneath the water. (Dry scales were not fun.)

Meanwhile back in Atlantis Sasuke slowly awakens from his slumber to the feeling of soft kisses being placed along his back and shoulders. That felt nice. So he leans back into it.

He shivers. Sasuke felt another presence in his mind. It was different than his blue brain. Instinctively, he just knew that that it was Suigetsu. He labels this the white part of his brain.

"You awake, Sassy?" Suigetsu purrs seductively into his ear and nibbles on it lightly.

"Mmm kinda." He murmurs and arches back into the other merman.

The white part of his brain told him two things. The first was Suigetsu was very happy. The second was that his virginity wasn't going to last the rest of the day. His Protector was definitely in the mood to Claim him.

"Good. How are you feeling?" He whispers and nuzzles him.

"I feel…different. I can feel you inside me. In my head. It's hard to describe." The prince replies and turns to face him.

"That's our bond. Like I said, we can't hear each other's thoughts exactly. But we can feel what the other feels. It's a double edge sword. When you feel good, I know it. But I also know when you feel bad. The reverse is true. It's an incentive to encourage Mates to make each other happy." He explains.

Sasuke nods. That made sense. If Suigetsu was upset, Sasuke was literally going to be swimming a mile in his flippers. It almost forced them to try to work out any disagreements they might have.

"I think I get it." Sasuke says.

The prince looks down and notices something. Their tails had reformed. They must have come back while they were sleeping.

Suigetsu tentatively tries out his link. He felt it. In the back of his mind, there was another presence. That had to be Sassy. He tries reaching out for it and got a reading. Sasuke was clearly trying to process what their bond meant, more than a little aroused, and a bit anxious about something.

"Sasuke, if you are anxious about a Reveal Stage Mating, I don't mind the Evolution Stage." Suigetsu reassures him, figuring that was likely what was making his Mate feel slightly skittish.

Sasuke smiles. He kisses Suigetsu. He was grateful that his Mate cared enough about him to ask, but that wasn't what he was anxious about. He would have been anxious even if they were both human. He had never done this before.

"No. I want you. I want all of you. I've just never had sex as a merman before." Sasuke says.

That was better. There was no way that he was going to admit that he was a complete virgin. This way, Suigetsu would still get the general point and his pride would remain intact.

"I know. Just relax. It's more fun when you just follow your instincts. They are there for a reason." Suigetsu reassures him and licks the Mating Mark.

Sasuke closes his eyes and sighs in pleasure. That simple action felt so good. He knew that it had something to do with their Mating, but didn't care to analyze it at the moment.

"You like it when I touch your Mark." He observes and bites down lightly, causing Sasuke moan and arch against him completely.

It was exciting. Suigetsu could feel what Sasuke felt. Right now he was very much in a _"Take Me Now,"_ type of mood. While his Sassy was likely far to proud to actually say something like that, he could feel it. Suigetsu pawned that mostly off to the fact that Sasuke was a Nurturer and he was a Protector, but that didn't make it any less sexy.

"Mhm. It feels good." Sasuke admits and slowly opens his eyes.

He surprises Suigetsu by flipping them. Soon Suigetsu was laying on the bed, underneath the other merman. Sasuke looks down at him and captures his lips in a slow, heated kiss. His hands soon begin gliding over his new Mate's chest, gently exploring.

Suigetsu was just fine with letting Sassy explore to his heart's content. He kisses back eagerly and sets about thoroughly seducing his soon to be lover with his tongue. He leans into Sasuke's gentle touches and purrs in contentment. This was good. This was right.

"It's weird. But the purring thing is both really soothing and hot at the same time." Sasuke admits after breaking the kiss and begins to place feather light kisses along Suigetsu's neck, while one hand rolls a nipple between fingers teasingly.

"Yeah. It's supposed to elicit that type of a response. Sasuke, do you want me to use protection?" He asks.

He knew that it was important to ask now. If he didn't, he would forget. Sasuke's sexy tail was far too distracting to remember practical things like whether or not to ask about contraception.

"What makes you think you are the one who is going to be topping?" Sasuke asks slyly and bites down lightly on said nipple, tugging on it with his teeth.

His hands trail further south. Sasuke glides them over where Suigetsu's hip would be rather suggestively and then over his crotch area. If there was one thing that he knew about Suigetsu, it was that the other merman really enjoyed his tail jobs.

"Because I'm going to be the one making you scream my name and moan like a dolphin. But you can keep doing that." Suigetsu says confidently.

"You're pretty cocky. Let's see if there's a good reason for you to be so smug." His Mate taunts him and rubs his scales more insistently.

 **Warning Reveal Stage Lemon**

Sasuke had never actually seen Suigetsu's other tail. He had seen his Bulge Stag, but that was it. He figured that his Mate was on the larger side though. He just didn't expect them to be so… _similar._

It didn't take long for Suigetsu's arousal to manifest itself rather obviously. It looked completely human. If Sasuke couldn't see Suigetsu's gorgeous green scaly tail, he would have thought it was it was just a rather impressive human erection. It wasn't though.

"Catfish got your tongue, Sassy?" He asks.

"Alright. You have good reason to be cocky." Sasuke admits and Suigetsu smiles as he swiftly pins Sasuke underneath him.

"Thanks. I know that you do as well. Now let me be a good Mate and take care of you." Suigetsu purrs seductively at him and brushes his arousal against Sasuke's tail, right over where the Uchiha's crotch would be as a human.

Sasuke moans. Words completely failed him. Oh fuck! That felt good. His blue brain was definitely aroused at not only the feeling, but Suigetsu's words.

It didn't take long for him to go from the Bulge Stage, to the Reveal Stage. He writhes against his almost lover wantonly and squirms when he felt himself transform.

"Alright. You don't have to use whatever passes for Merman birth control. I want all of you. That includes your hatchlings." Sasuke murmurs and tugs on Suigetsu's lower lip with his teeth.

Sasuke shivers. He could feel Suigetsu's satisfaction at that response. It was so _primal._ Suigetsu was very, very happy and probably about to fuck his brains out in order to express said happiness.

"Good. You won't regret it. I promise." Suigetsu says, bringing Sasuke's hand to his lips and placing a kiss on it.

"Mmm I know." Sasuke tells him and kisses Suigetsu's Mating Mark.

The white haired merman groans. Fuck that felt so incredibly good. That was even better than the tail jobs he had received before.

He was struck by the need to make sure that Sasuke enjoyed this as much as he knew he was going to. The other man had just completely submitted to him and he knew that wasn't easy for the prince to do. For a merman who had spent most of their life as a human male to agree to have your hatchlings, it was a big deal.

"One of the really nice things about the Mating Bond is that it makes sex awesome." Suigetsu informs him and places a trail of kisses along the planes of Sasuke's muscular chest, while pumping his erection slowly.

"Nnhh. Good to k-now." Sasuke pants and arches against his lover.

Shit! Suigetsu was really good at playing with his dick and the kisses felt so good against his chest. Sasuke goes back to kissing the Mating Mark and runs his hands up and down the curve of Suigetsu's back in a sensual massage.

He hears Suigetsu purr in approval at this action. Sasuke squirms when the other man places little nips and kisses along his stomach as he trailed lower and lower. Everything felt so intense.

"You're so sensitive. I can feel how much this drives you crazy. I like it." He states arrogantly and Sasuke was about to come up with a witty retort, when the other man takes cock into his mouth.

That's when Sasuke forgot how to breath. He writhes in pleasure. Suigetsu's hot wet mouth, was absolute bliss. He almost came right then and there.

Suigetsu smirks around his cock. Sasuke knew that the other man knew how amazing it felt. He didn't care at the moment. He thrusts into his Mate's mouth, eager to get more of that wonderful feeling.

His Protector places his hands on where Sasuke's hips would be firmly. Suigetsu sucks lightly, brushing his lips against the sensitive flesh, and lavishing it with his hot, rough tongue.

"Don't you dare stop or I will fucking kill you." Sasuke hisses in pleasure and his eyes glow.

Suigetsu smirks and sucks harder. He could feel how much his gorgeous Mate enjoyed being pleasured. Good. This way he'd remember who he belonged to and would never even have to think about looking at another merman. With that thought in mind, he fully deep throats Sasuke.

Sasuke practically screams as he cums hard. He'd never cum so fast or so hard in his life. Suigetsu's mouth apparently was an unnamed World Wonder.

"Such a sensitive, Sassy." Suigetsu says smugly after he swallows his lover's essence.

"You w-ould be too. Fu-ck that was amazing." Sasuke pants as he tries to catch his breath.

"There are certain benefits to being a merman. One of them is we don't have much of a gag reflex compared to humans. You taste just as sweet as you look." Suigetsu says as he moves up and kisses Sasuke heatedly.

Normally, Sasuke would have been rather repulsed at the thought of tasting himself in this way. But he was too worked up to care and Suigetsu's kisses felt so good. He felt himself melting into his almost lover, purring even.

"That's good to know." Sasuke murmurs and ponders the possibilities of this little quirk of biology.

"Sassy, go bend over the side of the bed." Suigetsu says.

Sasuke knew that it was his blue brain that was responsible for what happened next. He quickly does exactly that. His Nurturer side was rather eager to please his Protector by being cooperative.

"I don't think you really realize how fucking beautiful you are. Damn. I can't blame Utakata for wanting you, but he's not allowed to touch you this way. No one else but me is. Got it?" Suigetsu growls possessively.

Sasuke knew that he should be pissed that Suigetsu was being that possessive, but he wasn't. His blue mind was mixing with his regular mind. His merman instincts were apparently just fine with this barbaric declaration of love. Actually, they quite liked it. Thank you very much. His merman side found it… _sexy as Hell._ If he was being completely honest with himself, part of his human brain did as well.

"Got it. Same goes to you." Sasuke found himself saying.

"You have to be the feistiest Nurturer that I've ever met, but don't worry. There's no one else that I could possibly want more than you. Another nice thing about being a merman is that unlike humans, males don't need to prepare each other. That's just considered foreplay." Suigetsu continues.

Sasuke blinks. Well that was…convenient. So they could just pound into each other, anytime that they wanted without worrying about hurting each other. Nice.

"Anything else, I should know?" He asks.

"Hmm no. That about covers it really." Suigetsu says as he slides a couple fingers into his lover's tight heat.

Sasuke found himself moaning. It should have felt at least a little uncomfortable, he knew that. But whatever difference between mermen and male humans there was internally, was working its magic. It just felt good. He wondered if this was how women felt when they masturbated.

"I'm good with foreplay." Sasuke whispers and arches back against his lover.

It was strange. He should have felt warm human skin as he did so. But instead he felt the scales of Suigetsu's tail. His silky, yet reptilian like scales. They were cool, not warm.

"Good to know. You look so fucking hot bent over like this for me. Doesn't matter if you are a human or a merman, you have the sexiest backside that I've ever seen." Suigetsu whispers hotly into his ear and Sasuke moans when Suigetsu's fingers brush against his spot.

Suigetsu smirks. The bond let him know that Sassy loved being touched right there. So that was where his spot was. Good to know.

"Just fuck me!" Sasuke growls at him.

The Protector smirks. He was so impatient. That was good though. It just meant he was pleasing his new Mate, exceptionally well. Suigetsu removes his fingers and soon replaces them with something much bigger and thicker.

Sasuke moans. He'd never felt so fucking full before. He writhes in pleasure and shivers as he could feel the muscles underneath Suigetsu's glorious scales. That tail was powerful.

The sensual cool texture of his scales made a deliciously wicked contrast to how hot Sasuke actually felt. He could feel a spike in possessiveness from Suigetsu. That was the only warning he got before his Mate started claiming him with a lustful ferocity.

"Is this what you wanted, Sassy?" Suigetsu growls at him lustfully as he pounds into his tight, gorgeous prince.

"FUCK YES!" Sasuke screams in carnal bliss and that just spurred Suigetsu to faster.

The bed was soon quaking from the force of their lovemaking. Suigetsu reveled in it all. The way that Sasuke looked so magnificent bent over the bed, just for him. Every sexy moan and scream he made. The feeling of Sasuke's skin and scales against his own. How gloriously tight his lover was around him and most of all being able to feel how good he made Sasuke feel as he fucked him hard and fast.

He knew at the moment, they were little better than animals. But he didn't care. It felt too good to worry about being gentle and he knew that Sasuke felt the same way. That was pure, raw need he felt from Sasuke. Not pain.

"Suigetsu!" Sasuke cries out and moans as his release washed over him like a tsunami.

Suigetsu wasn't far behind Sasuke. They came almost in unison. He slides out of his Mate and then swims onto the bed. The white haired merman quickly wraps his arms around Sasuke protectively and snuggles into him.

 **End Reveal Stage Lemon**

"Wow." Sasuke says as he pants, desperately trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah. Neptune, you're perfect. My perfect Mate." Suigetsu praises him and caresses Sasuke's tail.

"So are you." Sasuke murmurs and cuddles into his new lover.

It was ridiculous. The blue part of his brain was absolutely gushing over the praise. He was a good Mate. Sasuke would almost say his Nurturer instincts were making him feel almost giddy. Those instincts were quickly bleeding over into the more human side of his mind. It was a strange sensation.

"Mmm don't fight it. I know it has to feel weird to you, but your instincts are there for a reason." Suigetsu whispers.

"You can feel that?" Sasuke asks.

"It's hard to explain. It's like your mind is divided into two parts. I can feel your merman side and your human side. They haven't completely merged together yet. I suppose it's only natural. You haven't been down here that long. Eventually, you won't be able to tell the difference." Suigetsu assures him.

"So your Protector instincts are just mixed in with the rest of your mind? But that would mean that you were…" Sasuke trails off.

"Constantly resisting the urge just to drag your sexy tail to the newest forest of kelp? Where I was planning to have my wicked way with you until you were pregnant with our first hatchling? Yeah. Instincts are powerful, but we aren't complete animals. We do have some control." His lover assures him.

Sasuke blinks. A forest of kelp?! What the Hell? He felt his face heat up at that particular suggestion.

"Kelp is very comfortable. Feels nice against the scales and there's something really hot about claiming your sexy tail in a forest. Primal. It's a perfectly normal kink for a merman to have." He explains.

"You're weird, but if you keep sucking me off and screwing my brains out like that…I guess I wouldn't mind. The location doesn't matter to me. Well as long as there aren't a bunch of sharks in said forest." He mutters.

"That's my Sassy." Suigetsu says cheerfully.


	14. Chapter 14

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad that the Reveal Stage lemon was well received. I hope you guys all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** A minor fight takes place, but there will be kissing and making up. Merman instincts are powerful. I hope that I didn't go too primal. I like the dramatic effect it produced though. I think the "surprise" will make up for it. Two minor requests will be granted/started to be granted in chapter.

Chapter 14

The next few days passed in a blur of pleasure, tangled limbs, and cries of passion. Suigetsu was nothing, if not VERY attentive. Sasuke's innocence was LONG gone by this point.

The only thing that stopped them was when their stomachs growled. Yeah. They had literally been too caught up in discovering each other, to eat.

"Mmm stay here, Sassy. I'll get us something to eat. I'll be right back." Suigetsu promises and gives his Mate a quick kiss.

"I don't think I could leave, even if I wanted to. I don't think my tail would cooperate after all that." Sasuke admits after returning the kiss.

"That's fine. Your sexy tail doesn't need to leave the bed anyway. You want anything in particular?" The white haired merman asks.

Sasuke considers it. Well he was starving. He'd eat almost anything really. He was really craving lobster for some reason though.

"Lobster, if we have it. Anything is fine though." The prince replies.

"Sasuke, this is the palace. You are the Prince of Atlantis. You better believe that we have lobster or pretty much anything else you might want. I'll be right back." Suigetsu says as he swims off.

Sasuke smiles. He leans back against his pillow and relaxes. This was nice. Mindblowing sex and room service. He could get used to this.

Yes, all was right with the world. That was until his pouch started to glow! He panicked and it didn't long for Suigetsu to come racing back in. He must have felt his fear through the bond, Sasuke thought.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" He asks.

"I don't know. My pouch is fucking glowing! That can't be good. Can it? I mean it's one thing for my eyes to glow, but this?!" The young prince demands and gestures to his pouch.

Suigetsu blinks. Well that happened sooner than he expected. Still Sassy had said that he wanted to have his hatchlings. It looked like he got his wish.

"Sasuke, that's just how a merman or mermaid knows that they are pregnant. It just means the eggs been successfully fertilized. The glowing will go away in a few minutes. Relax." He says.

Suigetsu sits on the bed. He pulls Sasuke into his arms and holds him protectively. His Protector begins purring soothingly and Sasuke finds himself melting into the embrace.

"Ohhh. So we are…fathers now?" He asks and Suigetsu nods in confirmation.

"Yes, we are. Now your sexy tail really needs to get something to eat. Are you going to be okay, while I go grab the food or do you want to come with me?" He asks and nuzzles him.

Sasuke nuzzles back. He pauses as he considers that question. Logically, he knew that Suigetsu would be back in a few minutes. His blue brain wasn't too happy with that explanation though.

His Nurturer instincts apparently wanted his Mate by him by his side during his pregnancy. At all times, if possible. Thank you, very much.

"I'd rather go with you. I know it's silly, but…" Sasuke trails off, not really sure how to explain this without sounding too needy.

"It's natural for a Nurturer to seek their Mate's presence while their pregnant. Sassy, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You have a lot to learn when it comes to being a merman, but that's okay. I'll teach you. Try to swim." He instructs him gently.

Sasuke wiggles out of Suigetsu's hold and off of the bed. He gingerly tries swimming around in a circle. He was relieved to find that he could manage it, without any real pain. The backside of his tail felt rather warm, but otherwise he was fine.

"I should be okay." He says.

"Good. We'll wait a bit. If we swim through the halls with your pouch glowing like that, that's going to raise some eyebrows. Guess this means we should probably tell your parents about us." He offers.

Sasuke frowns. He didn't particularly care for that suggestion. His parents had left him on a fucking beach when he was just a baby. Part of him, thought they deserved to be punished in a way. Why should they have anything to do with their grandchild?

"Sassy, that was rather vicious." Suigetsu says, once he picks up on more than a little bitterness from his Mate at the mention of his birth parents.

"I can't really help it. I know they had good reasons for what they did, but I still feel abandoned by them." He admits.

Suigetsu shakes his head. He captures the other merman's lips with his own in a heatedly kiss. He understood why his lover felt that way, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with.

Well at the very least, he could make sure that Sassy didn't feel abandoned by him. First things first. He was going to make sure his Mate was properly fed. Then he'd probably ravish him some more. That would make him feel better. Yep, that was the ticket.

"Mmm." Sasuke says as he returns the kiss.

"You are good enough, Sasuke. I don't want you to think like you aren't. They made a difficult choice. It might have been the wrong one, but they did it for the right reasons. Besides, you don't really want to deny our hatchling the chance to know his or her grandparents, do you?" He asks after breaking the kiss.

"Damn. When did you get so logical? It's a bit annoying really. I think I prefer it when you just keep trying to screw my brains out. That's much easier. I guess you're right though." Sasuke concedes with a heavy sigh.

"Of course, I'm right. Things will be much easier for you, once you accept that. Your pouch stopped glowing. Let's get you some food." He says with a smile and Sasuke nods, following Suigetsu out of the room.

A few moments later, they were in the Grand Dining Hall. Sasuke would never get used to just how truly beautiful the palace was. It was somehow elegant and powerful at the same time. Sasuke sits down as Suigetsu swims towards the kitchen to get the lobster.

Suigetsu soon comes out with the lobster. He sits in the chair next to his Mate and hands him his plate and wine. Sasuke smiles as he tears into the lobster gleefully.

Fuck that tasted so good. Maybe marathon sex and not eating for a few das, just made food taste better. That or the palace just had some really amazing chefs. Either way, he had never tasted anything so good in his life.

"Slow down, Sassy. It's okay to chew." Suigetsu says with a smile and runs his fingers through Sasuke's hair affectionately.

Sasuke purrs at the gesture. He heeds his Protectors advice and savors the food in front of him. It didn't take long for Suigetsu to join him in eating.

"God, that was good." Sasuke says a few minutes later and takes a sip of his wine.

"Yeah. Sex just makes everything taste better." Suigetsu agrees after they had both cleaned their plates.

That's when Utakata swam in. Sasuke shivers as he could swear the temperature of the room just dropped by ten degrees. Suigetsu was clearly not happy about having a "rival" male near his _**PREGNANT**_ Mate.

"Good morning, Sasuke. I was wondering where you disappeared to. How are you faring?" He asks politely.

Utakata hadn't noticed the Markings yet. He also didn't have the benefit of the Mating Bond. So how was he supposed to tell that Suigetsu was currently feeling rather homicidal towards him?

"I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking. I hope you are well, but there's something that you should kn-" Sasuke begins, but never got to finish his sentence because Suigetsu positions himself between Sasuke and the other Protector.

Sasuke hadn't been a merman long, but he recognized what that was. That was a claim. Suigetsu was very clearly telling Utakata that he was taken and if he didn't back off, there was going to be a fight.

Sasuke didn't know whether to feel giddy that his Mate was so protective and jealous or pissed off that he was being so barbaric with his possessive display. He settles on a mixture of both. Utakata hadn't done anything wrong. He didn't even know they were Mates yet. There was no reason to treat him that way!

"He's also _**my**_ wonderful Mate." Suigetsu informs the other merman.

Utakata blinks. Kitasha had said Sasuke was shy. He glances over at the young prince. He wondered how he hadn't noticed it before, but there was indeed a Mating Mark on his neck.

"Well I suppose congratulations are in order. Kitasha told me that you were shy, Sasuke. It seems she was mistaken. You chose well. Suigetsu will make a fine Mate for you. I regret that our paths did not cross sooner. Still a claim is a claim." He mutters in disappointment.

It was a shame. Sasuke was a gorgeous Nurturer. He was intelligent, polite, and came from a royal bloodline. Really, it was hard to ask for more than that. He couldn't blame Suigetsu for Marking him early. He would have done the same, if he had the chance.

"Thank you. Suigetsu, calm the fuck down. See? He's respecting our bond." Sasuke warns his Mate.

The implication was clear. _Play nice or you will regret it._ Suigetsu didn't look too happy about this implied threat, but he nods his head. He swims back over to Sasuke and nuzzles him.

"Mine." Suigetsu growls possessively and licks the Mating Mark, biting down on it lightly and sucking.

"Yes! Suig-etsu, come on. He's standing right there. Oh fuck!" Sasuke moans and arches against his Mate.

Sasuke shivers. He could feel the primal lust radiating off his Mate. If this kept up, he didn't doubt that Suigetsu would shove him against the wall and take him right there, with Utakata watching.

"You're a possessive fucker. I told you that I was going to respect your Claim. You don't need resort to those tactics." Utakata hisses at Suigetsu.

"Just making sure that you get the message. He's _**MINE.**_ I can't blame you for wanting him, but I Marked him. He Marked me back. That's the end of the story." Suigetsu growls at Utakata and sucks on Sasuke's neck a little harder.

Sasuke starts to get nervous when he felt how sharp Suigetsu's teeth were getting. He whines. Sasuke blinks. He didn't know that he could make that sound.

"Sorry, Sassy. I guess I lost control there for a minute." Suigetsu mutters and releases his neck.

He had the decency to look apologetic and guilty. Sasuke's human side was pissed. His blue side though was turned on. It made him feel dizzy. His mind was literally at war with itself.

"Well I'll leave you two alone. Tell me though. How did the King and Queen react to the news?" He asks.

"Why don't you go ask them yourself? They are far more likely to talk to you than they are to me." Sasuke says and feels his lips curl back in displeasure.

It was an innocent question. He knew that Utakata hadn't meant anything by it. Still he couldn't suppress the bitterness he felt, whenever his birth parents were mentioned.

"Sasuke, that wasn't very fair." The other Protector objects.

"Utakata, it may not be fair, but you should go now. They are newly Mated and Suigetsu's instincts are probably screaming at him to kill you. " Sasuke hears his brother's voice call out.

Utakata heeds Itachi's advice and swims off. Sasuke eyes Itachi nervously. This was so not what he needed now. He was still trying to sort out if he was more angry or turned on by Suigetsu's primitive display.

"Sasuke, I know what you are thinking. Suigetsu, can't help himself at the moment though. The bond is still so new." Itachi says with a shrug.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

Could Itachi actually read minds? Suigetsu had said his talent had to do with illusions though. That didn't sound like mind reading, but maybe.

"He can't read minds. Itachi is just annoyingly perceptive." Suigetsu reassures Sasuke and nuzzles him.

He could feel his Mate's annoyance with him. That hurt. Suigetsu was just trying to protect him. The violet eyed merman was just showing Sassy that he was willing to fight for him. He should be happy, not angry.

Well at least he could also feel his arousal. Sasuke might be pissed at him, but it was in a way that might result in hot makeup sex. So that might be fun.

"Yeah. I'm beginning to notice that." Sasuke says.

He didn't know whether to return the nuzzle or not. Sasuke heard Suigetsu purring. His Mate was obviously trying to soothe him. He could feel that Suigetsu was sad. He was sad that he had upset him.

Sasuke sighs. He couldn't stay mad at him. If what Itachi said was true, his lover couldn't really help it. Besides, he wanted Suigetsu to love him. He did love the stubborn pervert and Suigetsu was the father of their child. It didn't benefit him to fight with Suigetsu like this.

"I love you, Sassy." Suigetsu whispers into his ear.

"I love you too." Sasuke says with a reassuring smile and purrs.

"It seems that you have been rather busy." Itachi observes with amusement.

Sasuke snorts. That was one way to put it. He wasn't really sure that he wanted to bond with his brother over this. It was a bit late for a Bachelor Party.

"You could say that." Sasuke says and sighs softy in pleasure as Suigetsu places a gentle kiss to his Mate.

"I'm not done with you, Suigetsu. I love you, but you can't do that. Don't be a possessive jerk. I will kick your ass and there's nothing you can do about it." Sasuke says smugly.

Suigetsu nods. He wouldn't ever raise a hand to his Sassy, but especially not when he was pregnant. The violet eyed merman was very much in a kiss and make up mood.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't have done that. Can you really blame me though? I know how desirable you are. People don't know we are Mated yet. It's important for me to stake my Claim. It's my job to protect you and love you." Suigetsu purrs at him.

"You are trying to butter me up." Sasuke says accusingly.

"Yeah. I am. Is it working? Just because I'm trying to butter you up, doesn't mean it isn't true." The Protector replies.

Sasuke bit his lower lip. He knew that it shouldn't work that easily. He should make his lover work for his forgiveness more, but his blue brain was satisfied with Suigetsu answer. Smug about it even.

"Alright, but the makeup sex had better be fucking fantastic." Sasuke mutters.

"Oh it will be. That's a promise, Sassy." Suigetsu says smugly.

"I didn't need to hear that, but I'm glad that the two of you have made up. When did you two Mate?" Itachi asks curiously.

The youngest Prince of Atlantis debates about answering that. He wasn't entirely certain he trusted Itachi. Still his half-brother already knew that they were Mated. There wasn't much of a point in hiding it.

"Little over three days. Three really amazing days. Well other than Suigetsu being a possessive jerk just now." Sasuke says.

Suigetsu shrugs. He deserved that one. Didn't matter though. He'd apologize through the method of communication that he excelled at. Sex. Lots and lots of amazing sex.

"Would you like my helping in telling father and Aiko?" Itachi asks.

"You'd do that?" Sasuke asks in surprise and Itachi nods.

"Of course, I would. You are my brother. Besides, I do owe you. I shouldn't have attacked you like that." Itachi says.

A pair of violet eyes glow. Yeah. Suigetsu remembered THAT. He still hadn't forgiven Itachi for that stunt.

"Do that again and I will fucking kill you. Just so we are clear." He says.

"Well he certainly is a Protector. Isn't he, little brother?" The elder prince inquires and Sasuke nods in agreement.

Meanwhile Utakata goes to find Kitasha. He was going to get to the bottom of this. Kitasha had painted the picture of a shy merman who was just finding his place in their world. She certainly hadn't given him any indication that Sasuke was courting, let alone about to be Mated!

"Lady Kitasha, I wish to speak with you immediately." He calls out from behind her door as he pounds on it.

"Utakata, what brings you here so early?" Kitasha asks once she opens the door.

"It is about Sasuke. Sasuke and his Mate!" He growls in annoyance.

Kitasha's eyes widen. **MATE?!** Suigetsu had already Marked the young prince? Oh this was not good. This simply wouldn't do at all. The white haired merman was deadest on turning Sasuke against her. She couldn't allow that.

"He Mated?! Oh Utakata. I am so sorry. I had no idea. If I had known, I wouldn't have encouraged you to pursue him. I am here if you need a shoulder to cry on." She offers.

"How can you lie to my face in such a fashion? Do you think me a fool? No one gets Mated that suddenly. Clearly, they have been courting. Somehow, I doubt that escaped your notice. Nothing ever does. I thought we were friends, Kitasha. Friends do not use each other like this." The Protector snaps at her.

The red head mentally sighs. Damn. Perhaps she should have chosen someone less perceptive than the nobleman. Now she might have lost one of her most loyal followers.

"We are friends. I truly had no idea. I am so sorry." She says.

"You are a liar. Sasuke is Mated now. I doubt it will be long before he is pregnant. You may have very well jeopardized Itachi's station with this trick. Fortunately for you, the High Prince appears to be mending fences with his younger brother. I can't say the same for you." Utakata seethes.

"Are you threatening me?" Kitasha demands.

He had never been more livid in his life. How dare Kitasha lead him on like that? She knew that every Protector was programmed to find their Mate. It was a cruel joke.

"I would never threaten you, My Lady. But I would also never keep the truth from my prince. Perhaps Sasuke would like to know that you encouraged me to pursue him, knowing that he was already being courted. I doubt his Mate would take kindly to that knowledge. I hear that Suigetsu's water bullets in particular are rather lethal." He taunts her.

Kitasha was positively livid. How dare he threaten her?! He was going to pay for that. Clearly, he had forgotten who he was dealing with! She lets out a wail.

Her talent was her voice. She could alter it to make it seductive, compelling (as in making others follow her orders, or into a deadly shriek. A shriek that could make you go death or even explode your ear drums and cause a rupture in your brain.

By this time, they had taken their scuffle out in the hall. The wail was heard. Thankfully, for Utakata's sake, Haku heard it. He swiftly swims over and rears up his ice mirrors.

"You had better stop attacking him, lest you want to shatter them and slice us all to ribbons." Haku warns her.

Kitasha blinks. Damn it. The Nurturer was right. She stops her wail. As much as she wanted to punish Utakata for his disrespectful, she didn't want to get sliced up by thousands of pieces of ice.

"Haku, this is not your fight. Kindly, take your leave." Kitasha hisses.

"When you are attacking another merman for no good reason, I think it is my fight. I don't know what has gotten into you lately. You've developed a mean streak since your divorce. Bitterness is not pretty. It doesn't matter how beautiful your face is." Haku warns her.

"I have to agree with Haku on this matter, I'm afraid." Utakata says as he takes out his pipe and blows on it.

Soon white bubbles being to appear. His talent was bubbles. Not just any bubbles though. Different colored bubbles could do different things. White bubbles could capture people.

Kitasha knew this of course and tried to swim away. So Utakata just kept blowing more and more bubbles. The red head was fast, but she was not fast enough to evade all of them. Eventually, she gets trapped in a giant bubble.

"I suppose we should take her to the King?" Haku suggests and Utakata nods in agreement.

He scarcely recognized the woman anymore. How could his mentor do such a thing? She had led him on and then attacked him. If it wasn't for Haku, things likely would have gotten very ugly.

He swims off with Haku. The bubble follows them. Kitasha was squirming and trying to get out of it the whole way.

"King Izuna? Queen Aiko?" He calls out softly.

"Yes, what is it?" Izuna asks from his position on the throne.

He blinks when he saw Utakata and Haku. Haku was a Nurturer that he knew only in passing. Izuna and his Mate couldn't help but wonder what had brought them there.

The young man had ebony black hair and porcelain pale skin with exotic chocolate brown doe eyes. The man had a crimson red tail and black pouch. Were it not for his clearly male chest on full display, Haku would often be mistaken for a mermaid. He had a certain feminine elegance to his features.

"Lady Kitasha attacked me. Haku came to my aid. We were able to subdue her." The other Protector explains and points to Kitasha who was in a giant white bubble.

Aiko giggled at the sight. She couldn't help it. It was just so comical. Kitasha had been trapped by a bubble. She stops laughing when the other mermaid directs a look of seething hatred towards her.

"Kitasha, why did you attack Utakata?" Izuna demands.

"He disrespected me." She snaps at her former husband.

"And how did he disrespect you? I want the truth?" The merman thunders at her.

Kitasha smirks. Well at the very least, she could hurt Izuna. She could hurt him with the knowledge that his son hadn't told him that he had Mated.

"I suggested he should court your youngest son. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Sasuke had already taken a Mate. Utakata was understandably upset, but he took his frustrations out on me." She tells him.

"Sasuke's…Mated?!" Izuna and Aiko ask in stunned voices.


	15. Chapter 15

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Warning:** _ **Extremely intense family drama**_ **.** If you do not want to read the family drama, you may wish to scroll until you see Part II of the chapter. That starts when you see Naruto's name.

Chapter 15

"SASUKE UCHIHA, GET YOUR TAIL IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" Izuna bellows in a way that was heard throughout the castle.

Sasuke blinks. He didn't know that it was possible to be that loud. Damn. He didn't now what his biological father's talent was. Maybe it was just that he could use his voice as a weapon.

Owe. His ears hurt now. The young prince was sure that he was going to get a headache after that yell.

"I think that Utakata must have told father." Itachi observes.

"Ya think?! Damn it. I didn't expect him to be that bitter. He told my parents on me? That's really low." Sasuke grumbles.

Suigetsu sighs. He didn't think that Utakata did it. The Protector might be irritated that he had lusted after HIS Sassy, but the merman was a good man. He wouldn't behave that dishonorably.

"As much as I am loathed to say this, I don't think it was him. It doesn't matter at the moment though. We better go face the music. I'll go with you. Don't worry, Sasuke. I won't allow anything bad to happen to you. I promise." Suigetsu says and laces his hands with Sasuek's in a show of solidarity and support.

"Why would something bad happen to me? Am I not allowed to take a Mate because I'm their son?" Sasuke demands.

Itachi sighs. Oh boy. This wasn't going to be pretty. He almost felt sorry for his half-brother.

He was so new to being a merman. Clearly, Sasuke didn't fully understand what it meant to be a prince. Being a prince meant that who you Mated mattered. You were most certainly expected to notify the King and Queen if you were seriously considering Mating beforehand. Sasuke had just unwittingly committed a major taboo.

"Sasuke, you are a prince. Who you Mate matters. They should have told you that, but I doubt they expected you to Mate so quickly. I will go with the both of you, if you desire for me to do so. This isn't your fault. It's their fault for not properly briefing you on the privileges and responsibilities that your position carries." Itachi says.

"Suigetsu, do you want him to come with us? He understands more about being a royal than I do." Sasuke asks softly.

Suigetsu considers it. He was still pissed about Itachi attacking Sasuke, but he couldn't deny that Itachi knew everything there was about being a ruler. He might be able to smooth things over.

"If you don't mind, I don't mind. Let's get this over with." The white haired merman replies.

"Alright. Itachi, you're coming with us then. Try to keep me from killing them. I'm not going to tolerate a scolding over. I love Suigetsu. Yeah, he's a possessive pervert, but he's my possessive pervert. They don't get to tell me who I'm allowed to love." The younger prince growls.

Itachi smiles. He had to admire his little brother's spirit. He nods and swims towards the throne room with them.

"Yes, King Izuna?" Sasuke asks as he swims into the room.

He blinks. Sasuke saw Kitasha in a fucking giant bubble, Utakata, his parents, and a merman that he didn't recognize. Wait was that a merman or a mermaid? Oh the chest was male. Definitely a merman then. A really pretty one.

"Sasuke." Suigetsu says warningly.

"Oh come on. You felt that? It was just an observation." Sasuke mumbles.

"Yes, I felt that. I guess you're right. He is pretty, but you're the most beautiful merman that I've ever seen in my life." Suigetsu says and Sasuke smiles.

Haku rubs the back of his had sheepishly. He might not have the Mating Bond, but the Nurturer knew when he was being talked about. Haku was used to being called pretty or beautiful. It no longer bothered him. It was just was awkward when a new Mated pair was discussing said "pretty/beautifulness."

"Sorry. We shouldn't have talked about you like you weren't in the room." Sasuke apologizes.

"Oh it's alright. I'm used to it. I hope that I didn't cause any problems between the two of you? I would never become between Mates." Haku says in a rush.

"You didn't." Suigetsu assures the Nurturer.

Izuna raises an eyebrow. That's what Sasuke was sorry about? He was sorry that he might have potentially offended a stranger, but not that he didn't tell them that he was Mated?! This was ridiculous.

"Is that all that you are apologizing for?" Izuna asks.

"My love, that type of tone is not helpful in this situation. Let Sasuke have a chance to explain himself." Aiko chides him gently.

Kitasha smirks from her position inside the bubble. Ha! That served him right. Let Izuna and his slut suffer.

Their own son didn't even care about them enough to inform them that he had gotten Mated. In some ways, this was a far more painful wound than her seducing Sasuke could have ever been. The opposite of love was not hate. It was apathy.

"Mother, what are you doing inside one of Utakata's bubbles?!" Itachi asks in alarm.

"Oh don't worry, my son. I am fine. Utakata and I just had a misunderstanding. I would not fret on it." She says soothingly.

"I don't need to explain myself. I love Suigetsu. He loves me. We are Mates now. If you have an issue with that, then I guess you'll never see your grandchild." Sasuke snaps at them.

Izuna and Aiko's eyes widen. They weren't the only ones though. Everyone's eyes widened in shock. No one had been expecting that bombshell, besides the Mates.

"Y-ou're pregnant?!" Aiko asks in shock.

"My pouch glowed. So yes. So don't push me." Sasuke warns them.

Izuna blinks. He couldn't believe that Sasuke was pregnant. He was barely more than a hatchling himself! This was insanity. Not only was he mated, but he was pregnant.

"I wish that you had told us that you were courting. If you had told us that you wanted to Mate, we would have advised you as any good parents should. Sasuke, you just became a merman. Do you really think that you are ready to be a father?" He inquires gently.

Suigetsu wraps his arms around Sasuke. He felt his Mate's fury. His lover was about to lunge at the King, if he wasn't held back.

"You don't get to speak to me about being ready to be a father. The most generous interpretation I can give of what you did to me, was that you let a pair of babysitters care for me until this year. You could have grown legs. You could have been in my life. You couldn't have stayed over night, but you could have been there. You both could have at least visited! You have no right to lecture me about anything!" Sasuke says and his eyes glow.

"We considered doing that. It would have been too painful and confusing for all of us involved. Sasuke, I know that it must seem like you were abandoned. You were not. I say this out of concern for you, your Mate, and child." Izuna says with a hurt look on his face.

Itachi glances back at his mother. She was enjoying this. She was practically giddy about it. Her reaction disturbed him.

The High Prince wasn't a fool. He knew that his mother had despised Izuna and Aiko for years, but he never thought that she would be so happy about a family's heartache. It was unsettling.

"Perhaps if you truly wish to mend the broken bridges between the three of you, you should stop trying to justify your actions. It's time to move on. The past is the past. Sasuke, you are carrying your first child. This stress, this bitterness, is not good for you or the hatchling." Itachi says softly.

The King and Queen sigh. They wanted so badly to reconcile with their son, but Sasuke just wasn't ready to forgive them yet. The worst thing about it was that they knew they did deserve his fury.

"And stop upsetting my pregnant Mate! I'm not going to have him lose this baby, because you harassed him!" Suigetsu growls and purrs as he nuzzles Sasuke.

"Utakata, this is more of a family situation. Perhaps we should give them some privacy?" Haku suggests.

Utakata nods. That sounded like a fine idea to him. He swims off with the Nurturer. None of the others noticed their departure.

"Tsk. Tsk. You've upset your pregnant son rather badly. I don't blame him at all though. You've given him ample reason to be furious with the both of you." Kitasha taunts the King and Queen.

"QUIET!" Izuna bellows at Kitasha and Itachi immediately stands between the two of them.

He glares at his father. He didn't care for what Kitasha had done recently, but she was still his mother. Itachi was not going to allow his parents to kill each other.

"Itachi, calm yourself. I am not going to harm her. Your mother has angered me, but I wouldn't raise my fin to a mermaid. You should know that." Izuna informs him.

"I don't know that. I never would have thought you would Mate with a human either, but you did. Your behavior for the past twenty years has been rather unpredictable." Itachi seethes.

"Itachi, if you care about your brother, please stop this." Aiko pleads.

The Nurturer bristles at his step mother. He had always avoided Aiko. He couldn't help but feel bitterness towards her. The eldest prince was aware that his parents weren't in love. But that didn't make her "stealing" his father from his mother, any easier to swallow.

"And if the two of you care about him, you will stop lecturing him. He's Mated to Suigetsu. Sasuke is pregnant. A Mating Bond can only be reversed by death and if you care about your grandchild, I would stop provoking the both of them." The merman states.

"You're right, Itachi. Sasuke, I am so sorry. You should be resting. You shouldn't be arguing with us." Aiko says as she swims over to him and tries to hug her son.

"You're right." Sasuke says.

He allows the hug and Izuna swims over. Sasuke was stiff as a board. Suigetsu nuzzles him. He could sense Sasuke's fury and distress.

None of that was good for their hatchling. Suigetsu knew that he had to calm Sasuke down. He mutters something about Sasuke needing rest and carries Sasuke off to their room.

"That could have gone better." Izuna says with a dramatic sigh.

"Ya think? That couldn't possibly have gone worse, unless it had come to actual blows. Given Sasuke's temper, that was a very real possibility." Itachi says.

"Itachi, do not sass me. I am in no mood for your taunts." His father informs him.

"Very well. Perhaps I shall just accept Kisame's offer and become his Mate. Neptune knows that he is far more loving than this family is at the moment." Itachi swims off.

"Izuna, what have we done?" Aiko whispers in a horrified voice.

"I am sorry, my love. I did not want any of that to happen. I lost my temper and I should have known better. We'll find a way to make this right. You'll see." He promises her.

Kitasha laughs. Oh this was delightful. The look on Izuna's and Aiko's face now was priceless. It was regrettable that Itachi and Sasuke had to suffer to make it happen, but it was so worth it.

She comforted herself with the fact that Itachi was swimming off into the loving arms of an Akatsuki. Kisame would be a good Mate for Itachi. Her son was upset now, but she knew that he would be fine.

Meanwhile Naruto was back on the beach. He was sitting on a rock that was a few feet away from the shore. Hinata had come back to visit him. She looks at him in confusion, when she saw he was eating something. Something she'd never seen before.

"Hey! Hinata!" He says happily between bites.

"Good morning, Naruto." She says with a smile and continues watching him inhale this strange substance.

Naruto suddenly realized that maybe he probably should have explained to her what he was doing. She was a mermaid. It was likely Hinata had absolutely no idea what ramen was.

"Oh um this is ramen. It's a type of food some people eat here. Best food ever! You want to try some. I mean I think it should be safe. You look mostly human. On second thought, maybe it's not a good idea. I'm not really sure what your digestive system is like." He says as an afterthought.

"You are such a Protector." She says with a smile and watches him eat.

"I guess? Does that mean something different to you? Is it like a mermaid thing? I don't get it." He says after he finishes eating.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. Naruto didn't know the first thing about her world and she barely knew anything about his. Perhaps that was why she kept coming back. Curiosity. That and he was very friendly.

"A Protector is someone who is less likely to get pregnant and protects their children and their Mate." She explains.

"Hinata, men can't get pregnant. I think I'm kinda a Protector by default." Naruto says with a laugh.

"Human males can't get pregnant. Males and females can get pregnant if they are one of us. Protectors can get pregnant, it's just rarer. Nurturers are the ones who are most likely to get pregnant. We still have all the physical traits of males and females, it's just our eggs develop inside the pouch. So it really doesn't matter what your genitals look like." The bluenette says.

Naruto blinks. The mermaid had just told him that men could get pregnant. That was really weird. Then again, was it anymore weird than talking to a mermaid in the first place?

"Oh. How do you tell if you are a Protector or a Nurturer?" He asks.

"Oh there is a medical test you can get. It's very quick. I'm a Nurturer." She admits shyly.

The hyper blonde looks at the beautiful mermaid and nods. Yeah, Hinata was definitely a Nurturer. He could definitely see that.

"Wait so every merman or mermaid is either a Nurturer or a Protector, right?" The blue eyed human inquires.

"Mhm." The mermaid replies as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So what's Sasuke? Has he been tested?" Naruto inquires in an almost giddy fashion.

"I don't know if he's been tested or what he is. I'm sorry. Besides, I think that's kind of personal. Prince Sasuke should be the one to tell you that, not me." Hinata says with a smile.

The college student rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He knew that Hinata was right of course. He probably should respect Sasuke's privacy. But at the same time, he was just dying of curiosity.

"Yeah. I guess you're right. So are those comfortable? I mean your seashells?" He asks.

"Mhm. I'm used to them. Most mermen don't bother with shirts, but many mermaids wear shells." She explains.

Naruto nods. Yeah. Humans were generally wired that way too. He had to admit he was wondering how the shells even held up her breasts. That and he never thought he'd be jealous of fucking seashells.

"Yeah. I get it. I just well…you're breasts are pretty big. Isn't that tight on you?" He asks.

Sasuke was really missing out, Naruto muses to himself. If all mermaids looked like Hinata, it kinda sucked that Sasuke was gay. Suigetsu was a good looking guy. But Naruto just couldn't see why Sasuke would prefer that to someone like Hinata. It was a bit odd to him.

Oh well. He was sure that Sasuke probably found his own romantic choices, odd. He knew that mermaids and mermen could apparently form legs for a few hours. So maybe he had a shot. Granted it'd be kinda a difficult relationship, but yeah.

"I think you are just trying to come up with an excuse to see me without my seashells on." She says with a giggle.

"Well yeah. Mostly, but they really do look uncomfortable. So I was kinda wondering…how do your people you know? I mean obviously you can have babies or you'd go extinct. How do you actually couple? Do you just turn human for a few hours and do it that way?" He asks.

Hinata laughs. Naruto had to be the most blunt person that she had ever met. His obliviousness was almost cute.

"Some of our people Mate in that fashion, but there are many other options." She replies with a smile.

"Really? Like what?" He asks and Hinata whispers the answer into his ears.

Naruto blinks. Wow. He didn't know they had that many options. He wondered which way Sasuke preferred. Suigetsu was clearly digging his best friend. They were probably already lovers, right?

He shakes his head an decides he doesn't want to know. It was weird enough to picture his best friend like that. It was even weirder to think about him having hot merman sex.

Meanwhile back in Atlantis, Suigetsu sets Sasuke back down on the bed. He quickly joins his lover and Suigetsu wraps his arms around the young prince. He purrs loudly and nuzzles him.

He could feel the anger radiating off Sasuke. He would have felt it, even without the Mating Bond. With the Mating Bond, it was positively scorching in intensity.

"It's okay, Sasuke. I promise I won't let them bother you anymore. Just relax. You don't want to hurt our hatchling, accidentally." He murmurs and caresses Sasuke's cheek.

"I know. It's just that they make me so angry. How dare they ask me if I'm ready to be a parent?! They certainly weren't." He mutters.

"I know. I get it, Sassy. Really, I do. But Izuna isn't a bad father. He was very involved with Itachi. It's just your half-brother had the luxury of having a mermaid for a mother. Well a natural mermaid. Obviously, Aiko is a mermaid now. Well you get my point. I think?" He asks.

Sasuke shakes his head. Suigetsu was babbling, but yes he understood. He understood what his lover was trying to say. That didn't make it any easier though.

"Yeah. I'm sorry for all my family drama. Speaking of family, do you have any?" Sasuke asks.

"I have a brother. He lives in Atlantica though. It's another city. Atlantica is ruled by Madara. He's your uncle." Suigetsu explains.

"Yeah. I don't think I want to deal with any other older relatives at the moment. Just me, you, and our hatchling is enough for me." Sasuke says with a sigh and rests his head on Suigetsu's shoulder.

Suigetsu nods. He runs his hands up and down Sasuke's arms in a comforting caress. Damn. His Mate was really stressed. That was not good. If he had known that Sasuke was going to get that upset, he would have just talked to the King and Queen alone.

"You're worried about me." Sasuke observes.

"Of course, I am. It's my job as your Mate to love you and our hatchlings. I'm supposed to Protect you. I haven't really been doing a good job of it today. I'm sorry, Sassy. I should have just dealt with your family alone. I shouldn't have subjected you to THAT." He mutters.

Sasuke shakes his head. He kisses Suigetsu. This was completely not his fault. He probably should have told the King and Queen that he was courting, but it just hadn't entered his mind.

"Not your fault. You're a great Protector. Don't doubt that. Right now though, I think a back or shoulder massage might help more than words." He says.

"That I can definitely do. Lay down, Sassy. You really do need to relax." Suigetsu says and Sasuke nods, laying on his stomach.

Suigetsu runs his hands along his Mate's muscular back. He smiles. Sasuke was fucking gorgeous. He almost couldn't get over it. The Protector continues the gentle message and places kisses along his shoulders.

"Mmm that feels nice." Sasuke purrs.

He closes his eyes and decides just to enjoy the massage. For now, he'd forget about his parents, Kitasha, and everything else. He had a handsome Mate and his first hatchling on the way. He also had a best friend that he could still see some of the time. Really, his life was pretty good when you thought about it.

"That's good. Just relax. Would it make you feel better if we went back to my home for a few days?" He whispers in his ear.

Sasuke pauses. He hadn't considered that option. It actually sounded like a really good idea. They could get away form all this craziness and just start planning for their hatchling.

"Yes. I'd like that. Honestly, I'm pretty tempted to just say fuck it all. We can go back to your place. We don't need to be here. Itachi is the heir anyway. I don't know the first thing about being a merman. I'm not a prince in anything except title. I have no idea how to lead any of these people." Sasuke says.

"Sasuke, don't talk about yourself like that. Yeah, you were born a human. You are still new to all this, but you're smart. You can learn. If you want to be King or are content to be a Prince, you can be a great one either way. It doesn't matter to me. I'd still be lusting after that sexy tail of yours, title or no title. But I don't want you to think that you can't rule. You can." He says and glides his hand over the curve of where Sasuke's ass would be in his human form.

Sasuke smiles. Suigetsu was good at pep talks in his own way. He turns around and kisses him.

"I think it'd be better to let Itachi be King. He's been groomed for this since birth. I haven't. Besides, I don't need a crown. I have all I want. I have you, my human family, Naruto, and our baby. What more could I possibly want?" He asks after breaking the kiss.

Suigetsu returns it. He had a hard time believing that Sassy had absolutely no interest in ruling, but he wasn't going to argue. He wanted to relax his Mate, not stress him out more.

"Mmm alright. I love you. Get some rest, okay?" He asks.

"I love you too and I will. I promise." Sasuke says with a yawn and curls up into his Mate, dozing off almost immediately.


	16. Chapter 16

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 16

Suigetsu smiles once he realizes Sassy was sound asleep. He scoops up his Mate in his arms and swims out of his room. While Sasuke slept, he'd take them back to his home. No one would bother them there.

"Suigetsu?" Itachi asks when he sees the white haired merman carrying his half-brother in his arms Bridal Style.

"I'm taking Sasuke to my home for a few days. It's not good for him to be around all this drama. It's upsetting him and I don't want us to lose our first Hatchling because of it." He growls.

Itachi sighs. He nods his head in agreement. He could hardly argue with that logic. Suigetsu was right to take Sasuke away form the castle, at least for a little while.

"I'll inform them that you are going back to your home for a few days. You won't get much rest and relaxation, if they send out a search party for the both of you." The elder prince reasons.

"Thank you." The violet eyed merman replies and swims off with Sasuke.

A few hours later, Sasuke purrs. He could feel someone caressing his tail in a wonderfully seductive fashion. That felt good. Slowly his eyes open and he smiles when he sees Suigetsu.

"Hey. Mmm guess we should get going before they come looking for us." Sasuke says.

"Sassy, we're already here. I carried you while you were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you." His Mate states.

Sasuke blinks. That's when he looked around and realized they definitely weren't in Atlantis anymore. They were inside a ship. Suigetsu's ship. He smiles.

"Have I told you lately, how much I love you?" Sasuke asks with a smirk.

"You might have mentioned it once or twice, but I never get tired of hearing it. I'm your Protector. It's my job to protect you from annoying people, even if they are your family. Itachi says he'll tell the King and Queen that we went back to our place though." Suigetsu adds as an afterthought.

 _Our place._ It was jus another reminder that they were Mates now. This was technically as much his home as Suigetsu's. He smiles at that thought and kisses him.

Suigtesu happily returns it. That was better. Sassy was nice and calm now. Things were just easier without the royal drama.

"That was unexpectedly nice of him. I'm not sure if he's the merman who attacked me unprovoked or an overprotective brother anymore." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"I've never really been that close to Itachi. We just don't swim in the same circles. He's not Kitasha though. He enjoys being a prince, but he's not nearly as cutthroat as his mother is." His Mate offers.

Sasuke nods. Maybe Itachi wasn't the villain in this story. If he had found out that his father knocked up a woman and didn't tell him for years, Sasuke would have been furious as well. Granted, it wasn't right for Itachi to take it out on HIM, but he hadn't been thinking straight at the moment.

"Well that's good. Kitasha is about as cuddly as an electric eel." He mutters.

"If you think she's vicious, wait until you meet your uncle." Suigetsu says with a laugh and kisses his forehead.

Sasuke didn't think that he really wanted to meet another crazy family member. No. No. He was just fine right where he was. With Suigetsu and their baby. That and his human family.

"Damn it! We missed our weekly visit. Father, mother, and Naruto must be panicking." The prince notes with alarm.

"Easy there, Sassy. Easy. We can go check on them, if you want. Besides, we should tell them the good news anyway." Suigetsu says with a smile.

Sasuke froze. He was supposed to tell his parents that he was pregnant? Couldn't they just say that they adopted the baby?

"Sassy, I felt that. I know it's different for humans, but our hatchling is probably going to look too much like us to pawn it off to adoption. That and don't you want to be honest with them? There's nothing to be ashamed of. For mermen, it's perfectly natural to get pregnant." Suigetsu reassures him.

"Well for mermen, yes. For human males, no." He replies.

Suigetsu shakes his head. He wraps his arms around Sassy and purrs. He was embarrassed that he got pregnant. Apparently, he was fine with it around other mermaids and mermen, but flustered about revealing that fact to his human family and loved ones.

"Sasuke, if they can accept the fact you are a merman, I think they'll deal." He tells him.

The younger merman laughs. He nuzzles his Mate. Sasuke didn't know why Suigetsu talking like a human college student amused him so much. He just knew that it did.

"Alright. I guess they were going to find out anyway. They can't be any worse than that clusterfuck that we just left." He mutters.

"That's the spirit, Sassy." Suigetsu says with a smile as they head towards the surface.

Meanwhile Naruto was on the beach with Hinata again. He visited her almost everyday. Sometimes Hinata couldn't make it though. On those days, she would say something about work.

The blonde had no idea that mermaids and mermen had jobs, but apparently they did. He was curious what the gentle mermaid did for a living. She seemed rather well off. She did often wear a pearl necklace or other expensive looking subtle jewelry.

She spoke fancy as well. Hinata might stutter occasionally when she was flustered, but she was very articulate. Educated. Did mermaids and mermen attend college? It was a funny thought. The blue eyed human tried to picture a school of the "mythical beings." He just couldn't do it.

"Hey, Hinata!" He says cheerfully.

"Hello, Naruto." Hinata replies with a sweet smile.

"So I was kinda curious. You said you had a job. What do you do exactly?" He asks.

"I have two jobs technically. One day I will be the Duchess of Atlantis and I'm also a healer." She says.

"…" Naruto is speechless.

A DUCHESS?! A FUCKING DUCHESS?! As in royalty? He blinks. Damn. When he thought she looked like a fairytale princess, he hadn't thought that he was being so literally. Well a fairytale Duchess technically.

"I didn't want to tell you earlier, because I didn't want you to feel intimidated by my station." She continues.

"Oh um that was thoughtful of you. I'm totally not intimidated though. That's awesome. So a healer is like a doctor? Wow. You are really smart then." He says.

Hinata nods. Humans had such a strange language. Normally they referred to those that cared for the sick and monitored the health of others as physicians or healers. Humans apparently called them doctors.

"Thank you, but I've been studying for a long time. It's not really because I'm smart. I just stuck with the program." She says, blushing.

"Program? So there really are schools for mermaids and mermen! Neat! You guys have your own society and everything." Naruto chimes merrily.

The bluenette nods. She wasn't sure why Naruto was so surprised by this. What did he think they just swam around all day and did nothing else? Still she knew that he hadn't intended to be offensive and she didn't mind serving as an unofficial ambassador to her species in this regard.

"Some jobs require longer programs than others. To become a healer, takes years of study. I did briefly consider becoming a pearl collector, but father didn't think that was prestigious enough." She says.

"Oh. Well do you like being a healer? You shouldn't do a job that you don't like, just to make your dad happy." The college student informs her.

"I quite like it. It's important work and I'm helping people." Hinata replies.

Naruto nods. Well it was good that Hinata was happy with her job. Though it did bring to mind a lot of sexy nurse fantasies.

"I bet the mermen are really happy to have such a pretty healer." He says cheerfully.

Hinata blushes. Naruto was probably the most blunt individual that she had ever met. He was very lavish with his praise. If it was anyone else, should have thought he was attempting to court her. But he was a human and seemed to take this carefree approach to everything.

The blonde said whatever was on his mind. He had absolutely no filter as far as she could tell. It was fascinating to watch really.

"Naruto?" Sasuke asks in surprise when he sees his best friend chatting with a mermaid.

Hinata and Naruto had been too caught up in their conversation, to notice that they were no longer alone. The pair look embarrassed and jump. Suigetsu gets a kick out of that.

"Hello, my prince and Suigetsu." Hinata stammers.

"It's alright. You don't have to call me prince. I'm sorry, who are you?" Sasuke asks in confusion as he and Suigetsu head onto the beach.

They had shifted. Their lover halves were now human. Suigetsu had hidden some trunks between the nearby rocks for moments like these. That way when they shifted, they were never naked for long. Thankfully, Hinata didn't get an eyeful of the mermen.

"I'm Hinata." She introduces herself and does the mermaid version of a curtsey.

"Hinata is the eldest daughter of Duke Hiashi. She's also a healer and apparently less shy than she used to be." His Mate states with open amusement.

"Oh. Hello, Hinata." Sasuke says.

He really should know this stuff. He didn't recognize the daughter of a fucking Duke. Once again he couldn't help but think he was woefully unprepared to be a prince.

"Here I thought you would be worried sick about me, loser. But instead I find you flirting with a mermaid." Sasuke observes.

"Well Hinata told me awhile ago that you guys got married. So you were on your Honeymoon and not to worry. Damn right, I'm flirting with her. I mean look at her!" The blue eyed human exclaims and Hinata blushes deeply.

Sasuke blinks. How had Hinata known that they Mated. He was positive that he had never seen the lavender eyed woman in his entire life.

"How did you know that we Mated, Hinata?" He asks softly.

The young prince got the impression that Hinata was a rather shy person. He didn't want her to think that he was yelling at her. Sasuke was just curious.

"Oh I was swimming through the halls and I saw the lights from the Mating Dome. So I figured out what happened. I knew that you and Suigetsu often visit the human world. I didn't want your family to worry." She mumbles.

"Thanks for telling them. I guess we did get a bit caught up with…each other." Sasuke says and it was his turn to blush.

Naruto looks at Hinata. He wondered if she would agree to come back with them. He'd never seen her human form. He was pretty sure that she was pretty self-conscious about changing into a human.

"Hinata, do you want to go back with us? I mean it's thanks to you that we knew that they were okay." The blonde asks.

"That's kind of you to invite me, but I wouldn't want to impose. I should head back. My father will begin to worry about me, if I'm out too late." She says.

"Oh. Damn. Guess you're right. Same time tomorrow?" He asks hopefully and Hinata nods, before she swims off.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He knew that Naruto wasn't a cheater. If he was openly flirting with Hinata, he must have broken up with the feisty blonde. There was a story there and he decided he'd get it later.

"Alright. Let's head home. I missed you guys." Sasuke says as he walks off with Naruto and Suigetsu.

Meanwhile back down in Atlantis, Haku and Utakata were back in the Royal Library. The Nurturer knew that the other merman was upset. He was willing to give him an opportunity to vent.

"I'm sorry that Kitasha used you in such a fashion." He says.

"Thank you. I honestly thought that she was my friend. I suppose I was just like everyone else to her. A pawn." Utakata mutters in disgust.

The doe eyed merman places his hand on Utakata's shoulder comfortingly. The noble was clearly hurt. If he was in the Protector's position, he probably wouldn't have stopped at just restraining the mermaid. He would have attacked.

"You're welcome. It's not your fault though. Still the situation with the Royal Family is concerning. While some of their choices have been questionable, we can't allow them to fall into complete disarray. We have to think of Atlantis's welfare." He offers.

Utakata nods. Haku was right about this. If this continued, there might be an actual family feud. One that might line the halls with blood. That couldn't be allowed to happen.

"Well we clearly need to do something about Kitasha." Utakata reasons and Haku nods in agreement.

"If King Izuna can't handle her scheming, there really is only one merman who might be able to. It's a risk, but we I'm afraid that we will have to ask for King Madara's aid." The Nurturer says.

Utakata looks at Haku as if the pretty merman had lost his mind. Was he insane? He wanted to put Madara and Kitasha in the same city? There were just some things you didn't do. Putting those two power climbers next to each other was like playing with fire, as humans might say.

"I'm not certain that is a good idea. That might only make things worse. Besides, we really don't know how Madara would react to the knowledge he has another nephew that he was never told about." The older merman reasons.

Haku wasn't a fool. He realized that this was a gamble. Still it was their best chance. Things couldn't be allowed to continue as they had been. Something had to be done. It was up to them to fix this.

Elsewhere in the palace, Itachi sighs. It had been a few hours since Sasuke and Suigetsu had stormed out of the Throne Room. His temper had cooled enough that he was fairly confident he could deliver the message, without actually attacking his father.

"Sasuke and his Mate have gone to Suigetsu's home. They will be staying there for a few days. You need not concern yourself with their safety." Itachi says.

"Thank you for telling us this. Itachi, we need to talk." Izuna says.

"There is nothing to discuss at the moment. My brother has Mated, is pregnant, and spending time with his Protector. With any luck, I shall swiftly be following suit." He states coolly.

Izuna sighs. He loved his sons, but it seemed that he had not done a good job showing it recently. He looks at his wife helplessly.

"Itachi, I know that things have been difficult for you. But please do try to understand that we want only what is best for you, your brother, and our grandchild." She pleads.

"If you really want to make a gesture of good faith, release my mother from her prison." Itachih growls at her.

"Very well." Izuna says and he pulls out his trident.

He strikes the bubble prison with it and Kitasha smirks. She swiftly swims out of it and over to Itachi's side. Ha! Let Izuna simmer on that. Itachi adored her. He barely tolerated the Merman King anymore.

"Oh do not look so smug mother. We have a great deal to discuss later. For now though, I shall take my leave. I do not wish to keep Kisame waiting any longer than is necessary." He informs them as he leaves them all dumbstruck.

Itachi was tired of the family feud. He barely recognized his mother at the moment. His father and stepmother were like lost guppies. At least with Kisame, there was never any guile.

Kisame was always rather blunt about what he wanted. Itachi thought it was an Akatsuki thing really. That would be one of the biggest advantages of Mating him.

He would always have an honest and faithful lover. Honesty was apparently more than he could expect from most of his own family at the moment. It was also something he desperately needed presently.

"Kisame?" He calls out.

The Akatsuki was nothing if not punctual. Itachi smiles when he sees the familiar form of his intended. The blue skin was very distinctive to say the least. But he had grown accustomed to it and it really was a lovely shade once you got past his shark like teeth.

"Itachi, what's wrong? You sound like you're worried about something." He says and swims over to his side.

"It's a very long story." Itachi says with a sigh and lays his head on the other merman's broad shouldered.

There was something very comforting about the action. Itachi could feel the power of his almost lover just by how large his shoulders were. The eldest prince of Atlantis knew that he was capable of killing even a giant squid. Soothing his anxieties over his family should be an easy task for such a skilled Protector.

"I got nothing but time. You know you can tell me. I'm not going to spill your dirty laundry to anyone." Kisame assures him.

It was rare to see Itachi like this. The High Prince of Atlantis was usually the absolute model of composure. So it was disturbing to see him so clearly rattled.

"It seems that my mother wanted Utakata to seduce Sasuke. She was aware that he was courting Suigetsu, but didn't care. Imagine Utakata's surprise when the next day he discovered that Sasuke was Mated to Suigtesu. I arrived just as Sasuke's Mate was informing Utakata of their Mating. I possibly saved the man's life. Suigetsu is quite the jealous lover." He muses.

"Well almost all Protectors are really. Then what happened?" Kisame encourages him.

Damn. Suigetsu was one lucky son of a bitch, he thought to himself. How had he already Mated one of the gorgeous Uchiha brothers so quickly? He really had to ask Suigetsu what his secret was.

"Utakata swam off. Then father bellowed for Sasuke. That's when we went to the Throne Room. Sasuke doesn't really understand what it means to be a Prince of Atlantis yet. He had no idea that it is something of a requirement to inform your King and Queen when you are courting and your status is that high. Father and his Queen were not pleased to say the least." He mutters.

The Akatsuki blinks. He didn't know all the finer details of court life, but he knew what that meant. Fuck this was probably going to be brutal.

"How bad was it?" He asks.

"Bad. Mother was also there. It seemed that she and Utakata got into an fight. He caught her inside one of his bubbles and brought her to father. Presumably, just before our arrival is when she informed the King and Queen quite gleefully about Sasuke's Mating." Itachi continues bitterly.

Kisame winces. Even by his standards, that was brutal. He purrs in an attempt to soothe his intended.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but what happened next?" The Protector inquires.

"Sasuke snapped at them. He said that he loved Suigetsu. That they were Mates and if they had a problem with that, they just wouldn't see their grandchild. He's pregnant." Itachi answers.

The giant squid slayer blinks. He was pregnant?! But they had just gotten Mated. Holy fuck. Suigetsu worked fast.

"Suigetsu doesn't waste any time, does he?" He chuckles.

"I suppose not. That set off the real drama. Suigetsu and Sasuke ended up storming off. So I left as well. Later, I found Suigetsu carrying a sleeping Sasuke off in his arms. They are going back to Suigetsu's home. It's probably a good idea. All that stress is not good for Sasuke or his first hatchling." Itachi finishes.

"Well Suigetsu probably did the right thing. Neptune knows if roles were reversed, I would have gotten your sexy tail out of there." He says.

Itachi nods. He knew that Kisame was a very good protector. His intended would have probably gone postal, if he had been in Suigetsu's place. Thankfully, that hadn't been the case.

"Yes, speaking of that. If you still desire to be my Mate, I would love to be yours." Itachi whispers.

Kisame blinks. He almost did a double take. Itachi wanted to be Mates now? Officially?

"There is no scenario in which I wouldn't want to be your Mate. Are you sure though? I don't want you to rush into this because you are upset about your family situation." Kisame asks.

"I'm certain. We have known each other for years. Our courtship has gone well. I know that you are a good hunter, strong, loyal, and well the fact that you worship the water I swim in does hold it's appeal." He says smugly.

Kisame chuckles. That was Itachi. He was always able to maintain an air of authority, no matter the situation.

"Well I suppose when you put it like that, it makes perfect sense. Of course, I had to be a gentleman and ask. I'm not going to ask again. You don't get another chance to change your mind." He says.

"That's fine. I wasn't planning on doing so." Itachi replies with a smile and kisses him.

Itachi was always amazed that Kisame could kiss him without accidentally ripping his face off. Those teeth were SHARP. He found himself moaning into the kiss soon though and decides to ponder this scientific musing another time.

"Let's get your sexy tail to the bed first. We are both going to fall asleep afterwards." He reasons and scoops up Itachi Bridal Style.

"Kisame, this looks ridiculous. I'm a merman, not a mermaid." The High Prince reasons.

"You are far more beautiful than any mermaid. Trust me, I know your gender." The Akatsuki says as he lays Itachi on the bed.

The two mermen lavish each other's necks with kisses, licks, nibbles, and finally sink their fangs into each other, hard enough to leave the mark. They both moan in absolute bliss at the feeling of their Mate's fangs their neck, Marking them.

They barreled straight to Evolution Stage, phase two and soon passed out in each other's arms. A beautiful dome formed over them, protecting the new Mates from the rest of the world. Nothing else mattered to them, but each other.


	17. Chapter 17

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm sure some people will be very happy because a couple requests will be granted. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

 **Viewers' Choice:** Do let me know if you guys would like to see an Itachi x Kisame lemon and if you have any preferences for what gender(s) the hatchlings of Itachi and Sasuke should be. Right now I am leaning towards a daughter for Sasuke and Suigetsu, but that can change.

 **Chapter Notation:** Itachi and Kisame are enjoying their Honeymoon. I kept it fairly vague, so didn't think it needed a warning.

Chapter 17

Sasuke's heart was pounding in his chest as they knocked on the door of his parents' home. It was one thing to accept he was a merman. It was another thing entirely to understand that he was pregnant. He was a man and pregnant!

"Sassy, don't worry. They love you. I'm sure that they will be far too happy about having a grandchild, to worry about how said grandchild is going to be born." Suigetsu says and purrs at him soothingly.

"Holy shit! You purr!" Naruto exclaims.

Sasuke smacks his forehead at the blonde's observation. He really had a lot to tell Naruto about merman and mermaid life. He'd get to that later. Right now the Prince of Atlantis was wondering how he was going to explain his pregnancy to his adoptive parents.

"Well yeah. So does Sassy. All mermaids and mermen can purr." Suigetsu says as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The raven haired merman sighs in relief when Mikoto opens the door. She gestures for them to come in. She smiles and hugs Sasuke.

"It's so good to see you. It was nice of that mermaid to tell Naruto that you couldn't make it. Did you really get married?" She asks in shock.

"Um I guess you could say that. I mean it's our version of a marriage anyway." Sasuke says.

Fugaku walks over and hugs Sasuke as well. It was hard to believe that his very practical son had just married someone that he met less than a year ago. That was going to take some time to get used to.

"We are so happy to have you back, even if it's for a few hours. So how is everything?" He asks.

"You both might want to sit down for this one. I'm not really sure how to tell you this. But merman biology is different than that of humans." Sasuke begins nervously as his adoptive parents sit down on the couch.

Suigetsu sighs. Sasuke was practically sweating bullets. He was going to have to step in here, if he didn't want his lover to faint.

"Mermaids and mermen are both capable of getting pregnant. Sasuke and I are married and our first hatchling is on the way. I know he doesn't look pregnant now, but he's not that far along." Suigetsu explains.

Fugaku and Mikoto just gape at Suigetsu. Pregnant? How was that even possible? They both look at each other unsure of how to react.

"I'm not certain it's a good idea to go into the details, but is that safe? I don't mean to be crude, but how is the baby born?" She asks.

"Well it's fairly complicated, but I'd be happy to give you the basics. Basically, that "belt" around our waist in our true form is a pouch. We don't give birth like humans. We lay an egg. The egg develops in the pouch. Once it's big enough, it just kinda slides out of there. Then you wait awhile and the baby hatchlings." The white haired man explains proudly.

Sasuke feels his face heating up. It was one thing to tell other mermen and mermaids that he was pregnant. Telling Naruto and his parents though, that was harder.

"WAIT! SASUKE IS PREGNANT?!" The blonde demands incredulously.

"Yeah. I'm pregnant. It's a long story." Sasuke mutters and buries his face into the crook of Suigetsu's neck.

Suigetsu smiles and holds him. He purrs to soothe his flustered Mate. Poor Sassy just needed to get used to the idea. That was all.

"I mean Hinata told me that mermen and mermaids could get pregnant. I was wondering if you were a Protector or a Nurturer, but now I guess we know. Damn. That must have been a Hell of Honeymoon. Do you know if it's going to be a girl or a boy yet?" He asks.

"What's a Protector and what's a Nurturer?" Fugaku asks in confusion.

"A Protector is a merman or a mermaid that is less likely to get pregnant and protects their Mate and hatchlings. A Nurturer is someone who is more likely to get pregnant. Either gender can get pregnant, but it's a lot harder for a Protector to do so or for a Nurturer to impregnate someone." The violet eyed merman explains.

Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha blink at that information. They slowly nod their heads. Well Sasuke could grow a tail. Maybe him getting pregnant wasn't so shocking.

"What matters is that you are happy and I'm going to be a grandmother. Is the baby going to be able to visit us or will we have to go to the beach?" She asks.

"Um I don't know." Sasuke says and he looks at Suigetsu helplessly.

"A hatchling can transform. It's mostly instinctive or they will just mimic their parents. Either way is probably fine." Suigetsu says with a smile and kisses Sasuke's cheek.

Fugaku nods. Well this was going to take some getting used to. He was just wrapping his mind around the fact that Sasuke was married. Now he had just discovered that his SON was pregnant!

"There aren't anymore curveballs that we should know about, are there?" He inquires somewhat nervously.

"No. I think that should about cover it. Sasuke will be pregnant for about three months, give or take a few days. Then he'll lay the egg. The egg will hatch probably in 1-3 days. Though sometimes it can take up to a week. Once we make sure our hatchling is healthy, we'll come and visit you or you can come to the beach." He assures him.

Sasuke blinks. Three months?! He had expected nine months. Uh oh. They had so much to do!

"Sasuke, don't panic. We have plenty of time to get ready for the hatchling." Suigetsu says.

"Plenty of time?! You just said that we only have three months! There's so much that we have to do. We don't even have a name yet. Wait, is there a way we can tell before the baby is hatched, if it's a boy or a girl?" Sasuke asks.

Suigetsu silences Sasuke with a kiss. It was adorable when he babbled. Really, but he didn't want his Mate to completely panic. Kissing him would calm him down.

Sasuke kisses back. Damn. Suigetsu was a good kisser. What was he talking about again? Oh never mind. He purrs when he felt Suigetsu stroke his back and deepen it.

"Whoa. Wait to go, Sasuke. I guess we know how you got pregnant now." Naruto says with a laugh and Sasuke flips him off as he continues kissing his Mate.

"Everything will be fine, Sassy. Don't worry about anything. Okay?" He asks when he breaks the kiss and Sasuke nods, snuggling into him.

Suigetsu smiles. He wraps his arms around his Mate tightly and nuzzles him. That was better. Sasuke was being a little high strung, but that was normal for first time Nurturers. Actually, he was amazed that Sasuke was taking all this so well.

He had been raised as a human. For most of his life, Sasuke thought males couldn't get pregnant. This had to be really overwhelming for him.

"Well I'm sure that our grandchild will be beautiful." Fugaku says.

"Definitely, especially if they take after Sassy." Suigetsu says smugly and kisses the top of Sasuke's head.

Meanwhile Madara glances at the letter he had just received from Lord Utakata. He reads it quickly for the thousandth time and continues swimming towards Atlantis. It looked like his foolish little brother had bitten off more than he could chew. (Again!)

 _ **Dear King Madara,**_

 _ **I am writing to you to most humbly request your help. Things are not going so well with the Royal Family in Atlantis. It seems that King Izuna and Queen Aiko had a hatchling together.**_

 _ **That hatchling's name is Sasuke. He was conceived while Aiko was still human. Thus he was a hybrid. His existence was unknown until recently.**_

 _ **Naturally, Lady Kitasha is eager to take advantage of the family strife. Sasuke had no idea that he was a merman until the transformation began. He has Mated a merman named Suigetsu.**_

 _ **Your brother's former wife is eager to create a wedge between King Izuna, Queen Aiko, and Prince Sasuke. Itachi is…adjusting to the news better than his mother, I'm afraid.**_

 _ **If this continues, I don't think this will end well. It pains me to say this because I used to be Lady Kitasha's apprentice, but I fear her scheming may go too far. Please come. I think you are the only one who knows how to handle her.**_

 _ **Respectfully, Lord Utakata**_

"Things must be dire, if he was writing me for assistance." Madara muses.

He knew Kitasha of course. The woman had never been a good match for Izuna. Izuna preferred a more gentle and "noble" approach to ruling. Lady Kitasha believed the ends justified the means. Of course they were bound to clash.

Utakata was correct though. There were very few people who could out scheme Kitasha. He was one of them. If she wanted to mess with HIS family, well she was in for a surprise.

"Madara?" Izuna asks in disbelief when he sees his brother approaching.

"Yes, it's me. I received a letter. I don't know why I had to hear all this secondhand. You should have informed me of your troubles yourself. I must admit that I am also not pleased that you kept the fact that I have a second nephew a secret from me." Madara growls in annoyance.

Izuna rubs the back of his head sheepishly. Damn it. How was he supposed to explain this? Of course his brother would be angry with him that he hadn't mentioned Sasuke to the other King before. It was only natural.

"It's a very long story. Come. Let us have a drink and we can discuss it over dinner?" He offers.

"Very well. I want the good stuff. None of this hatchling wine." The elder merman states.

Izuna chuckles. Some things would never change, it seemed. Madara heartily enjoyed the main pleasures that life had to offer: the companionship of mermaids, a good fight, fine wine, power, and chariot racing. His brother believed in taking exactly what he wanted. That had never changed. He was the archetype of a Protector.

"I think we can manage that." He says with a smile and leads Madara to the dinning room.

Madara was amongst one of the "tallest" mermen to exist. His tail was even longer than Kisame's. Said tail was covered in crimson red scales and a black pouch. His was a shade or two darker than Izuna's fine ivory color. His hair could only be described as a wild black spiky mane. Madara's Sharingan matched his tail completely. He was also gifted with broad shoulders and like Izuna possessed a well sculpted chest and biceps. He was every inch a warrior.

"Here you are, brother." Izuna says as he pours him a glass of a particularly strong wine.

"Thank you. Well you have a lot of explaining to do. Apparently, you impregnated your Mate while she was still human and had a hybrid?" He inquires with raised eyebrow.

"That's correct. Sasuke was raised by human parents. We thought it would be easier to wait until he came of age to explain everything. This was not the…wisest decision that I have ever made. I must admit." The younger King says with a sigh.

Madara looks at Izuna in disbelief. So Sasuke had no idea he was a merman and had been thrust into a world that he hadn't even known existed without any prior warning? That was shockingly cruel. It didn't matter if the cruelty was unintentional. It was still brutal.

"So you are telling me that you had no contact with him since he was an egg and you brought him to Atlantis? No wonder, Kitasha is gloating. Do you have any idea how pathetically easy, it would be for her to turn Sasuke against you?" The red tailed merman demands.

"I know. I just couldn't do it. If I saw him as a human for a few hours, I would never be able to leave. The thought of living without Aiko or only seeing her for a few short hours at a time for a couple decades was unbearable. We truly thought that this would be the best option." He says mournfully.

Madara smacks his forehead. Damn it. This was going to take a miracle to clean up. No wonder Utakata had sounded so desperate. His little brother had fucked up good.

"Well I would like to meet my nephew and his Mate, but I shall speak with Kitasha. Perhaps I can scare her into behaving. Maybe then you can mend your relationship with Sasuke." Madara replies.

"Thank you. Be careful with that one. She's as cuddly as an eel." Izuna points out.

"Oh believe me, I know how to handle Nurturers who want to make a play at pretending to be Protectors. You just need to handle them with a firm hand. That's always been your problem. You are far too nice. Fortunately for you, I was not born with that disability." The King of Atlantica says as he downs his drink.

Elsewhere, Itachi and Kisame were lost to the rest of the world. Such was the way of things, between new Mates. Had he not been drowning in wonderfully wicked sensations, Itachi might have been embarrassed at how wanton he was being.

Kisame was extremely attentive to put it mildly. The High Prince doubted there were many places on his body that the Akatsuki had not thoroughly marked in some way. In particular, Kisame seemed to adore biting him just hard enough to leave a mark, but never enough to cause real pain.

"Fuck!" Itachi hisses in pleasure as he achieves his release.

It didn't take his lover long to join him. He feels Kisame pull out of him and embrace him. Itachi leans into the loving hold and purrs in contentment.

"I never knew you had such a filthy mouth on you. I like it." Kisame muses as he runs his fingers through Itachi's silky tresses.

"Well you never ravished me before. So that might have something to do with it. You have no idea how badly I needed that." Itachi murmurs and rests his head on Kisame's chest.

Kisame purrs in pleasure. He could feel just how satisfied his Mate was with him at the moment. He smiles and kisses Itachi. This was bliss.

Itachi returns the kiss. He practically burrows against his lover. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this relaxed.

"It looks like Sasuke's hatchling will have a cousin to play with soon." He muses.

"What do you mean?" Itachi asks in confusion.

He didn't understand what Kisame was getting at. A cousin? But he wasn't pregnant. As far as he knew, he and Sasuke were Izuna's only children. So how could Sasuke's hatchling have a cousin?

"Itachi, look down. Your pouch." Kisame says simply.

The elder prince looks down. He blinks in astonishment. Well it was always a possibility of course. Itachi just never thought he'd get pregnant that fast. His pouch was glowing.

Itachi blinks. He was pregnant. Well he had Mated Kisame. Of course he did expect children someday. The merman just hadn't expected them this soon.

"Are you…unhappy about it?" Kisame asks, not sure how to read Itachi's reaction.

"I'm still in shock. I wouldn't have Mated you, if I didn't want your hatchlings." Itachi assures his Mate and kisses Kisame.

Kisame kisses back and smiles. That was better. For a minute, he had been worried. The Akatsuki knew that it was really early for them to have a child, but he had loved Itachi for years. For him, this wasn't sudden.

"Good. Don't worry about anything. I'll take good care of you both. Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?" He asks curiously.

"Kisame, the gender is irrelevant." Itachi says in amusement.

"A Nurturer or a Protector?" He continues and Itachi just shakes his head at his Mate.

"Kisame, as long as our hatchling is healthy…that is all that matters." Itachi chides him lightly.

Kisame nods. Well of course that was the most important thing, but everyone had a preference. Anyone who said that they didn't was lying.

"Well yeah. Of course that's what matters most. But come on, you have to lean one or the other…" He continues.

Itachi laughs. He pins Kisame playfully. He places a kiss against the other man's Mating Mark and smiles.

"You will be a wonderful father. You act like a hatchling yourself half the time." He taunts him.

"Oh I act like a Hatchling, do I?" Kisame asks incredulously.

"Yes, you do. Well at times you do. Obviously, you weren't acting like a hatchling when you caught that giant squid." The High Prince muses.

"I'll show you hatchling." The blue skinned merman says as he flips them and pins his gorgeous Mate underneath him.

Itachi smirks. He was absolutely floored by his lover's stamina. He wondered if maybe it was an Akatsuki thing.

Meanwhile Suigetsu takes Sasuke back to Atlantis. His lover was calmer now. They would have to face the music eventually. He just didn't expect to hear laughter coming from the Dining Hall when they arrived.

"I think that's Izuna laughing." Sasuke mutters.

"I think so too. Do you feel up to checking it out? We don't have to, if you don't want to." His Mate replies.

Sasuke nods. He didn't really relish the thought of dealing with either of his birth parents at the moment, but he knew that he would have to sooner or later. His son or daughter did have a right to know their grandparents.

"Let's go investigate, before I change my mind." Sasuke says and swims into the Dining Hall with Suigetsu.

Sasuke blinks at what they find. Izuna was sitting next to a large merman with a mane of feral black hair. They looked similar enough that Sasuke knew that they had to be related. Was this the uncle that Suigetsu had told him about?

"Ah. You must be Sasuke. Izuna told me that you looked a great deal like him, but I didn't expect you to be damn near his identical twin." Madara muses and swims over to Sasuke.

"Hello?" Sasuke says uncertainly.

Madara looks Sasuke up and down. Yeah, the kid was definitely Izuna's son. Judging by the fact that the white haired merman had his arm wrapped around the young prince protectively, his Mate was standing next to him. Hmm.

"I'm Madara. Your father probably neglected to mention this as well, but I'm your Uncle. I rule over a city called Atlantica." He continues.

"Pleasure to meet you?" The young merman replies.

"Sasuke! You're back. It's so good to see you." Izuna says as he swims over to his youngest son.

Sasuke sighs. He wished he could say the same. It was just hard to get over the feeling of abandonment. He'd have to try though. For his child's sake, if nothing else.

"I came back because our hatchling deserves a chance to get to know his or her grandparents. You and Aiko are barely more than strangers to me, but that doesn't have to be the case for them." He mutters.

"Izuna, your son is certainly more of a direct speaker than you." Madara observes.

The other merman gives the King of Atlantica a dirty look. Madara was certainly not helping him to patch things up with Sasuke at the moment! Quite frankly, he'd be far more helpful, if he would just shut his mouth.

"I suppose you could say that." Sasuke mutters bitterly as he leans into Suigetsu.

"You are already pregnant. Well your Mate is certainly a virile one. A Protector I'm guessing?" He asks.

"Damn fucking right I am!" Suigetsu says and kisses Sasuke's Mating Mark.

Sasuke shivers. He instinctively knew that Suigetsu was posturing. He didn't want to look intimidated by the other powerful Protector. Still he really wished that his lover wouldn't provoke him. He got the impression that as strong as Suigtesu was, Madara was a fucking beast.

Madara chuckles. Well "Suigetsu" certainly had balls on him. Very few mermen would dare to speak to him in such a fashion. He could see why Sasuke had consented to be his Mate so quickly. Real Protectors took what they wanted.

"Are you a Protector as well, Sasuke?" He inquires.

"No. I'm a Nurturer." He says in an embarrassed fashion.

"Ah I see. Well there is nothing to be embarrassed about. I hear a certain Nurturer by the name of Kitasha has been causing all sorts of problems for our family. Being a Nurturer doesn't make you weak. It just means you have different strengths than most Protectors." He assures him.

He nods. Sasuke felt somewhat better after that reassurance. His uncle was so… _ **ALPHA.**_ That was the only way to describe it. So was Izuna. But Izuna exuded a cultured refinement. Madara was feral.

"Rest assured that I will speak with her. She will not cause you anymore problems after I am done with her. How far along are you? You're pouch doesn't seem to have inflated yet." He observes.

"Inflated?! What the fuck does he mean by that?!" Sasuke asks in alarm.

"When you get further along the pouch will expand, much like how a human woman's belly gets bigger. It won't get that big. Just…hmm about the side of a volleyball really." Suigetsu says.

Sasuke wasn't sure how he felt about that little bombshell, but he supposed it was still better than what human women went through. He nods his head in understanding. Madara chuckles.

"How do you know about volleyballs?" Sasuke asks his Mate curiously.

"I was your guide. I observed you for a couple years. So I saw lots of humans. Some of them were playing volleyball on the beach. Come on, let's get you back to your room. I want to spoil you and you should really be resting." The violet eyed merman says.

"We shall talk later, Sasuke. I do wish to…mend things between us. I realize that I made mistakes, but you know that I lo-" Izuna begins to say something and Sasuke shoots him a dirty look.

"You love me. I know. I've heard you say it. I'm still waiting for you to prove it." He mutters and cuddles into Suigetsu's embrace.

Suigetsu takes that as his cue. He swims off with his Sassy. The two brothers sigh. Well that could have gone better to put it mildly.


	18. Chapter 18

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. People are either okay or moderately excited about a Kisame x Itachi lemon, so we'll have to see. As for the hatchlings, people are all over the place for genders/looks. I'm still debating on that. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Warnings:** Madara plays rough and talks dirty, but any actual intimacy would be consensual. Madara is borderline animalistic. I will put warnings in place in case anyone is not comfortable with a Protector exerting dominance in very primitive way.

Chapter 18

Madara decides that the direct approach would be best with Kitasha. Neptune only knows, how much scheming she had already done. He couldn't afford to risk the subtle approach.

A show of force would probably be the best way to deal with her. He was going to have gag her. He knew what her talent was. Her voice. It was a deadly weapon.

"My Lady, I thought you should know that the King's brother is visiting." Madara hears one of the mermaids say to Kitasha.

He was currently standing behind the entrance to that hallway. His keen hearing picked up every word though. Madara felt himself smirk. His reputation proceeded him.

The King of Atlantica had to give Kitasha some credit though. He had arrived only a couple hours before, yet her supporters were already informing her of his arrival. It was impressive really.

"I see. Well thank you for telling me. You've done well, Ino." She says and watches as the mermaid swims off.

Madara makes a shush motion when the blonde mermaid swims out and sees him. He saw her panicked expression. She gulps and nods slowly.

He smirks. Good. She might be loyal to her Lady, but not loyal enough to risk dying. Smart girl. Madara swims into the hall and sees Kitasha.

"Kitasha, it has been awhile. I do believe that we need to catch up. NURTURER, WALL!" He says and points to her and then to the war.

The mermaid goes flying straight into the wall. Kitasha could use her voice as a lethal weapon, but Madara also had a useful talent. Telekinesis.

Kitasha umpfs. It was never a pleasant sensation to be slammed into a wall, but he knew that by Madara's standards this was _"gentle."_ The red head tries to open her mouth to defend herself. A wail would do it.

"GAG AND ROPE, NURTURER!" He says and gestures with his hand.

A gag goes flying at Kitasha. It wraps around her mouth tightly. Almost simultaneously a rope wraps tightly around herself. Damn it. She couldn't use her voice like this and she could undo the gag.

 **Warning Aggressive Madara**

"That's better. I hope you understand that I don't get any pleasure out of scaring a mermaid. It's just I know what you are capable of. I'd rather not have my eardrums burst by your shrieks." He says with a smirk and swims over to her.

Kitasha gulps. Izuna was one thing. He was a fierce warrior. But when push came to shove, he wouldn't actually try to kill her. She wasn't so certain that she could say the same thing about the more feral King.

Madara pushes her until her chest was completely against the wall. The backside of her silver tail was facing towards him. Her hands were bound. Kitasha felt her heart race. She was completely defenseless and they both knew it. She couldn't even cry out for help. (Not that that would do any good, it would take practically a small army to subdue Madara.)

"My brother has no idea how to handle a mermaid like you. I do. So let me make this clear. I know what game you are playing. You are NOT to come between my brother and his hatchling. You are NOT to meddle with my family's affairs. I will make an exception for Itachi. He is your son. That's only natural, but the rest of my family is off limits." He begins and moves her vibrant red hair away from her neck.

Kitasha shivers. He might actually cut her head off. She was well aware that Madara carried a sword on his person at all times.

"Of course I understand your frustration. I will be the first to admit that my brother is foolish. Foolish for ignoring you. Foolish for choosing a human. Foolish for leaving Sasuke completely clueless about his heritage. Most of all though, he was foolish to keep my nephew's existence a secret from me. So believe me, I do understand your ire." He continues as he glides his sword over her jugular.

The mermaid gulps and goes completely still. She could feel the cold steel of the blade against her throat. With one move, he could end her.

"Be that as it may, he is still my brother. I will not allow you to scheme to make him miserable. You will cease all your plotting at once or I will ensure that you are not able to continue to do your plans." Madara warns her.

Kitasha nods nervously. There were very few times in her life, where she could honestly say that she had been afraid that an opponent might kill her. This was one of those times.

"Being the intelligent mermaid that you are, I'm certain you are wondering how I intend to ensure your good behavior. So I will tell you. I will bend that beautiful tail of yours over and I will ravish you until you are unable to cause mischief. You will not be able to swim or speak for quite awhile. Your voice will be too hoarse and your tail too sore to move." He continues.

Her eyes widen. She knew Madara. He didn't make idle threats. Well actually she wasn't sure if that was a threat or a promise.

"I never would force myself on a mermaid, but I can tell from your scent that on some level you are attracted to me. You should count your blessings that as much of a sea serpent as you are, it would be a waste to kill you. I do hope that you don't force my hand." He whispers into her ear.

 **End of Aggressive Madera (For Now)**

She shivers when she felt his breath on her. It was so warm. Kitasha couldn't really deny that she was attracted to him. Mermaids and mermen alike fawned over the Uchiha brothers.

"You're beautiful, intelligent, and the people like you…despite your rather manipulative nature. You're too valuable to kill lightly. I know your pride was injured by my brother's choice, but let that be your undoing. Do we have an understanding?" Madara inquires.

Kitasha merely nods her head. Madara nods approvingly. He undoes the rope and the gag.

"Good. I do apologize for being so dramatic, but I find that tends to get the message across better. Are you injured?" He asks.

"A little bruised here and there, but nothing too serious." She admits.

"Good. Well I have to go and help my foolish little brother. I imagine that you will be wanting to check on Itachi soon." He says and swims off.

The mermaid lets out the breath that she had been holding. Kitasha was uncertain if she was relieved or disappointed that he had stopped there. Of course she wasn't going to stop her scheming. She was just going to be far more subtle about it.

A month later, Sasuke was looking in the mirror. He frowns. Sasuke felt…well fat. Sorta. His pouch had inflated. It wasn't volleyball size yet, but he would say that it was at least football sized.

"Sassy, I felt that. You aren't fat. It's normal for your pouch to get bigger. It means that the egg is growing and the fluid protecting it is growing more abundant." Suigetsu says as he watches his Mate stand in front of the mirror.

"That whole borderline reading my thoughts thing can be a little embarrassing sometimes." The younger prince mutters.

Suigetsu laughs. He swims up behind Sasuke and wraps his arms around his Mate. The white haired merman kisses his Mating Mark and smiles.

"Mmm. That feels good." Sasuke murmurs, suddenly forgetting his earlier fretting.

"It's supposed to. You have no idea how utterly fuck-able you look right now." He growls lustfully into his ear.

Sasuke shivers. He could feel the desire practically pouring off Suigetsu. Wait. He was actually fucking turned on by the fact Sasuke was pregnant. He was completely getting off on this. He was feeling…smug.

"Really? You are turned on by the fact that my pouch now looks like a football?" The young prince asks in disbelief.

"Well yeah. Why wouldn't I be? It's just proof that you're mine. I like seeing our hatchling get bigger. I'm not really sure what a football is, but pouches expand during pregnancy. It's a good thing." Suigetsu replies.

The young merman just shakes his head. He gave up trying to understand his Mate's many kinks awhile ago. He had to have the most attentive Mate on the entire planet.

"That reminds me. I transformed into a human while I was pregnant. Where did the baby go?" He asks.

"Oh your pouch was still there. It just absorbed back into your skin the way your tail does. The baby was fine. I wouldn't let you turn back into a human, if I thought it would hurt you or our child." Suigetsu assures him.

Sasuke felt a little silly. Of course, Suigetsu wouldn't let him transform, if it was bad for the baby. He should have realized that before.

"Oh um good." He says.

"Sassy, I know you are still adjusting to everything. But I'm sure that you'll eventually understand the whole Protector thing. It's my job to protect you and our hatchlings. I won't let anything happen to either of you. Alright?" The violet eyed merman asks.

Sasuke nods. He leans back into Suigetsu's hold. That was nice. He'd never admit this out loud, but he actually did enjoy cuddling up to his Mate. The Nurturer liked it even more now that he was pregnant.

He figured it had something to do with his instincts seeking security while he was expecting or something. The young prince tried his best not to overanalyze it. Intuitively, it made perfect sense. But to his human mind, it was still all so _primitive._

"You're overanalyzing things again. Just go with what makes you feel good." His Mate chides him gently and nips his ear lightly.

"Maybe you can help take my mind off things." Sasuke says with a sly smile and spins around to kiss his Mate.

He knew that his suddenly arousal was at least partially thanks to Suigetsu's. Sasuke could feel what he felt after all. But he also knew his blue brain was playing a role. That part of his mind very much wanted to keep his Mate happy and wanted reassurance that Suigetsu still wanted him. (Which was ridiculous because Sasuke could feel that his lover did through their bond.)

"Oh yeah. I think I can manage that." Suigetsu says after returning the kiss.

"Good." Sasuke replies with a smile and purrs when he felt Suigetsu caress his scales.

He never understood why that felt so good. Between Suigetsu's arousal and he gentle, sensual caresses to his scales, it didn't take long for him to reach the bulge stage.

"You're so sensitive." Suigetsu purrs with approval and Sasuke felt his face heat up at the praise.

He couldn't help it. He'd never responded to anyone like he did to Suigetsu. Yes, he had been a relatively innocent before he met the other merman. But he hadn't been completely hopeless. He had a few boyfriends. The relationships just didn't last long. There wasn't any spark, but still.

 **Warning Lemon**

"Well it kinda helps that I can feel how much you want to fuck my brains out." Sasuke says.

"Wasn't aware you had such a dirty mouth on you. You've been holding out on me." Suigetsu muses as he strokes Sasuke moan.

"Nhh. D-idn't know that you were into that sort of thing." Sasuke pants out.

Suigetsu smirks. He'd never get tired of hearing Sasuke's sexy moans. It was always such an adrenaline rush to know that he could please his Mate so easily.

"I'm into almost everything really. Just as long as I get to play with that sexy tail of yours. Be a good Sassy and keep looking in the mirror." He orders him.

Sasuke felt himself shiver. There was something different about the way Suigetsu said that. There was a command to his voice that he hadn't heard before. Maybe Suigetsu's blue brain was causing it?

"Alright. Why though?" The prince asks and moans as Suigetsu strokes his scales faster.

"I want you to see how good we look together. That's a good Sassy. Always so ready to please me. Just like a proper Mate should be." He praises him.

Sasuke looks in the mirror and felt his face heat up. It wasn't that he was embarrassed about his "equipment." He knew that Suigtesu was fucking thrilled by it. So that was all that really mattered. It was just that he didn't really make a habit of it to stare at himself naked in the mirror.

"Mmm don't fight it. You did it my way. I'll do it your way now." Suigetsu says vaguely and takes all of Sasuke into his mouth.

The prince groans. He thanked Neptune that mermen didn't have nearly as much of a gag reflex as humans. Suigetsu was a master of oral sex (and really anything sexual.)

Suigetsu smirks around Sasuke's cock. He could feel his pleasure. That was satisfying them both at the same time really. There were so many advantages that being Mates provided. This was one of them.

"Fuck!" Sasuke hisses in bliss and runs his fingers through Suigetsu's snowy white locks.

He made the mistake of looking in the mirror. Suigetsu sucking him off was the hottest thing that he'd ever seen. He felt his tail shift into scale colored legs and then into human legs almost instantly.

His Protector moans and follows suit. He makes sure to lick, nip, and suck Sasuke like he was a delicious ice cream cone. It didn't take long for Sasuke to scream and spill his seed.

"Does that…not needing to be prepared thing extend to human form?" Sasuke asks panting.

"Mhm. See? There are lots of benefits to being a merman." Suigetsu replies.

"Good. Yeah. I'm starting to see that." Sasuke says as he kisses Suigetsu's neck, while running one hand over his delicious looking abs, and stroking him with the other.

Suigetsu growls lustfully. Sassy was really good at multitasking. Neptune that felt good. His lover had gotten really skilled at playing with his dick.

"You have no idea how fucking amazing that feels. I love you so fucking much. It's hard sometimes to control myself. You reek havoc with my instincts." He says.

It occurred to Sasuke that Suigetsu might actually be holding back with him. His Mate was being gentle. Suigetsu was keeping his Protector instincts in check while Sasuke got used to everything.

"I know that you aren't saying that you don't enjoy being with me. I can feel how much you like it. But do you want more?" Sasuke asks.

"Fuck. You never have to doubt that, Sasuke. Don't even let that thought enter your head. You have no idea how much I want you. It's just that you're new to all this. There are things that you aren't quite ready for. That's okay though. We have centuries. There's no rush." Suigetsu assures him.

Sasuke frowns. He wasn't exactly sure, but it sounded like Suigetsu had some super secret merman sex moves that he had been holding back from him. He was either worried about hurting the young prince or freaking him out.

"Would any of these things, hurt the baby?" Sasuke asks.

"No. that pouch might be cozy on the inside, but it's attached firmly. You have to basically be trying to damage it externally, really hard for that to be a concern. You were putting your sunglasses inside it. Internally is a lot different. That's why Kitasha checked for you." Suigetsu says.

"Yeah. I'm really glad that I didn't accidentally hurt myself. But if whatever you want to do isn't going to hurt the baby, I don't want you to hold back. I want you to be completely satisfied. If I'm not doing it for you, I want to know." Sasuke says and he sinks to his knees, licking his lover's cock before sucking on it lightly.

Suigetsu growls. He feels his eyes glow. A jolt of white hot lust hit his system. His every instinct was screaming at him to take Sasuke up on his oh so generous offer, but he knew better. Sasuke wasn't ready for that.

Sasuke shivers. He didn't know what he just felt, but it was something dark. Not evil. Just really, primal. He didn't know whether to be excited or nervous. Whatever that was, Suigetsu was clearly wrestling with it.

"Sassy, don't tempt me like that. You aren't ready yet. But I'm more than ready to make love to you. Stand in front of me and watch us." His Protector orders him.

"Okay." He murmurs and does as he was instructed.

Normally, he would have feigned resistance or at least made a smartass comment. It was foreplay in a way, but he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Not when he had felt, whatever that was.

"I don't want you to EVER feel like that I don't want you or you aren't fully satisfying me. You're my perfect Mate. I waited so long for you." Suigetsu says as he bites down lightly on the Mating Mark and buries himself inside Sasuke.

Sasuke moans and throws his head back in pleasure. Thank God for that little quirk of merman biology. No preparation needed. They could just fit together oh so perfectly and it felt _incredible._

"Feels good. More." Sasuke pants out and screams when Suigetsu slams into his spot again and again.

He felt completely full. Every time the other man thrust inside him, he felt like he was flying. The youngest prince didn't think he could remember his own name at the moment. But he sure as Hell remembered Suigetsu's. He kept calling it out over and over again. Chanting it almost like a payer.

"My perfect Mate. See how good we look together, Sassy? You're mine. Always." Suigetsu growls around his neck and licks the Mark soothingly.

It amazed him. It didn't matter how many times he took Sasuke. He was always so fucking hot and tight. Suigetsu had always liked sex, but he'd never been this addicted to it before.

Hopefully, Sassy never figured that out. If he figured out how badly he needed him, his lover would have some very good blackmail material on him. Any coherent thoughts were soon drowned out by the sounds of his lover's pleasure.

Suigetsu marveled at how they looked together. His white hair and violet eyes were a complete contrast to Sasuke's dark hair and ruby red eyes. Even their tail colors couldn't be any more different. But somehow the contrast was almost ethereal. He almost mourned the fact that he couldn't paint. He would have liked to have captured the image.

Sasuke might have been a merman, but he roared like a lion when he came. Suigetsu swiftly follows suit. There was no sound sexier than Sasuke's moans, especially when he had just spiraled over the edge.

The white haired merman pulled out of his lover and holds him closely. He nuzzles his Sassy. His perfect Sassy.

 **End of Lemon**

"The mirror was a nice touch." Sasuke muses as he tries to catch his breath and cuddles into his Mate.

"Thanks. Yeah. I thought so." Suigetsu says smugly and Sasuke laughs.

"NEPTUNE DAMN IT, IF MY MATE WANTS SOME FUCKING SHRIMP, HE'S GOING TO GET IT!" They hear Kisame's voice thunder.

Sasuke blinks. Oh boy. It looked like Itachi was having pregnancy cravings too. Personally, Sasuke had suddenly found himself really fond of lobster and seaweed for some reason. (Apparently most types of seaweed were actually edible and it was something like the merman version of lettuce.) Oh and clownfish. Those were good too.

"I'm sorry, K-isame but we are out of shrimp." Sasuke hears one of the terrified cooks say.

Sasuke sighs. He reforms his tail and decides to save the poor staff member. He swims out of his room and gets between Kisame and the other merman.

"Kisame, calm down. We have some extra shrimp. You can give it to Itachi. Terrorizing the staff isn't going to make the shrimp magically disappear." He says.

"Yeah. I guess you're right. I just want everything to be perfect for him. You know?" The Akatsuki asks.

Suigesu turns back. He swims out to the hall and watches as the blue skinned merman. Well it looked like they were getting along. At least didn't look like Kisame was planning to attack Sasuke. Which was a good thing for Kisame, Suigetsu would have torn him apart if he hurt one hair on his gorgeous Mate's head.

"Suigetsu." Sasuke says in a slightly chiding and embarrassed fashion when he picked up the direction of his Mate's thoughts.

"Sorry. I can't help it. Protector instincts." He says and swims over to him.

"Right. So about that shrimp?" Kisame asks and Sasuke laughs.

He gestures for the Akatsuki to follow him. He takes the large merman into his room and pulls out a bag of shrimp. He tosses it at his brother's lover.

"Here. That should keep him busy. I like shrimp, but it's not my favorite. So no biggie." He says.

"Great. Well I got to cook this. But shouldn't you and Itachi get checked out? I mean you both fairly far along now. You could go together. Brotherly bonding." He suggests.

"Yeah. Alright. You two can grab some food. I'll go see the healer with Itachi." Sasuke says as he swims off.

Over the past month, he had grown closer to Itachi. He wasn't entirely certain if he could trust him. It might all just be an act. But it was as much out of necessity as a desire for a real brotherly bond.

Sasuke didn't know the first thing about being a pregnant merman. Itachi did. Despite whatever other issues they might have, Sasuke knew that his half-brother was also a Nurturer. It literally would go against his instincts to harm a child, no matter whose child is was. So he felt reasonably comfortable in asking him for advice and for answers to his many, many questions.

"Itachi, Kisame is apparently going to get you some shrimp. Do you want to head to the healer's with me? We should both probably get checked out." Sasuke says.

"I hope he didn't startle the staff. I told him I wanted shrimp and then remembered that we were out. I can wait, but Kisame is just so eager to carter to my every whim that he gets a little carried away sometimes. Yes, I'll go with you to see the healer." Itachi says.

"He terrorized the cooking staff, but I'm sure they'll get over it. Thanks. I don't really want to go to these alone and the healer doesn't like dealing with Suigetsu while I'm pregnant. There was an incident…" Sasuke says.

Itachi tries not to laugh. It was hard though. First time Protectors fathers could be quite scary creatures when they wanted to be. They were every healer's worst nightmare.

"Oh I understand completely. The healer won't go anywhere near Kisame either." Itachi says sympathetically.


	19. Chapter 19

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad that Madera's "alphaness" was well received. There is also a lot of interest in what Suigetsu has up his sleeves and the Uchiha brothers' pregnancies. I hope you all enjoy this chapter because some of those topics will be covered ;)

Chapter 19

"Welcome High Prince Itachi and Prince Sasuke. Your Mates aren't with you, are they?" Tsunade asks nervously.

"Our Mates aren't with us." Itachi assures her and the busty mermaid sighs in relief.

Thank Neptune. She had seen many overprotective Protectors in her day, but those two took the cake. Kisame and Suigetsu were fucking psychotic when it came to "protecting" the pregnant princes.

All she had been trying to do was to get a blood sample and Suigetsu had slammed her against the wall, with his fangs bared at her throat. Kisame's reaction had also been terrifying. He grabbed her by the tail and threw her out the window!

"So you are both about a month along. Would you like to find out the gender of your hatchlings?" The healer inquires.

Sasuke blinks. They could find out the gender this early? He felt like Suigetsu should be here, but Tsunade was too rightfully terrified of their Mates. He looks at Itachi helplessly because he was unsure of how to respond to that question.

"Foolish little brother. There is no reason that you can't find out the gender. You can tell Suigetsu later." His half-brother assures him.

"Alright. How exactly do you find out what gender our hatchlings are?" Sasuke inquires.

Tsunade smiles. She gestures towards the bed and a machine. Sasuke blinks. Oh mermaids and mermen had ultrasounds. That was convenient.

"The same way that humans can tell. Our hatchlings just develop faster." Tsunade explains.

"I think I should probably go first." Itachi offers and lays on the bed.

The healer simply nods. She takes out some gel. Fuck. Sasuke recognized that stuff. That was the stuff that they always warned women that it was cold before they put it on their bellies. Maybe the merman version wouldn't be as cold though?

"This is going to be cold. But it is necessary to see the hatchling." She says with a smile and Sasuke grumbles.

Tsunade chuckles and places the gel over Itachi's pouch. The elder prince hisses in annoyance. Damn that was ice cold. He didn't care for it at all.

"Look on the screen. There is your hatchling. As you can see their in their natural form at the moment. That's okay though. While they in the womb there are still differences in the flipper shapes. By the time they are born, these differences fade." She begins explaining.

"So what's the difference between a mermaid and a merman's flippers when they are still in the womb?" Sasuke asks curiously.

"A mermaid's flippers are curved. A merman's are straight. Hmm let's see here. Yes, you are definitely having a daughter Itachi. Congratulations. A little princess." She says happily.

Itachi blinks. A daughter? Oh boy. He could only imagine how protective Kisame would be towards their little princess. Uh oh. He really pitied this mermaid when she was old enough to start courting.

"Alright, Sasuke. Are you ready? As you can see, it's not painful. Just cold." Tsunade says encouragingly as a dazed Itachi slides off the table.

"As ready as I'll ever be." The younger prince replies as he gets on the table.

Tsunade shakes her head in amusement. First time Nurturers could be so overly dramatic. This was especially true for the mermen. She places the gel on his pouch and Sasuke cusses her out.

"That's fucking cold!" He hisses.

"Well I did warn you. Hmm let's see what we have here. Oh you, have a very active hatchling. Their wiggling around quite a bit. Having a hard time getting a good look at their flippers. Ah there we go. Straight flippers. You are having a little prince." She declares.

Sasuke blinks. Somehow hearing what gender his hatchling was made it more real in a way that it hadn't been before. Realistically, he knew that it was a fifty/fifty shot either way. So it wasn't really shocking that he was carrying a boy, but still.

"Yes, I understand that it can be a bit of a shock at first. It's harder for male Nurturers usually to wrap their minds around the fact they are pregnant, but you both are. Your hatchlings are both doing just fine. They are growing at a normal rate and their vitals all look strong." She assures them.

"Thank you." They both say and swim off to find their Mates.

Meanwhile Naruto and Hinata were at the beach again. The blonde had prepared a nice romantic picnic for them. It was a beautiful starry night. Everything was perfect.

He knew that things would be difficult for the, but Naruto wasn't one to back away from a challenge. She could become human for a few hours. He didn't need his girlfriend to be on land 24/7. They could find a way to make it work.

"Naruto, what's wrong? You look so serious. That isn't like you." Hinata asks softly.

"Well I look serious because this is serious. It's serious to me anyway. Hinata, I know that you're a mermaid and I'm a human. But that doesn't have to stop us from being together. I mean you can turn into a human for a few hours. We can find a way to make this work." The blonde says in a rush.

Hinata blinks. Whatever she had been expecting, that wasn't it. Naruto was in love with her? The young mermaid didn't know how to react. She did want him, but she didn't think that he liked her as anything more than a friend up until now. She had just assumed that he was naturally flirtatious.

"Naruto, I…" She trails off, not sure of what to say to his declaration.

I love you. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I'm not really good with words. But I think about you all the time. I'm always happier when I'm around you. That's got to be love. I don't think me not having a tail should keep us apart. I mean obviously, Sasuke's parents managed and they were difference species." The blue eyed human finishes in a rush.

She smiles. He was cute when he babbled. Hinata presses her lips against his in a gentle kiss. That was a universal gesture of affection between the species, she had noticed.

"Naruto, calm down. I care for you a great deal. If you truly love me as you say that you do, our species won't be an issue. There is a magical stone called the Heart of the Ocean. If a human loves a merman or a mermaid, it can transform them into one of our kind. But would you really be willing to leave your world behind? You could still return to it for brief visits, but mostly you would live in my world." She whispers softly.

"Well other than Sasuke and his parents, I haven't really gotten close to anyone else. I'm an orphan. Don't really have a family or friends who wouldn't easily forget me, if they didn't see me much. Just you know, college buddies. I'd be okay with that. I really do mean it. I love you. I don't say that lightly." The blonde promises.

Hinata smiles. She believed him when he said that. If he really loved her, then he would have an easier time becoming a merman than most. Most humans had stronger ties to their world.

"Then I shall return with the stone and we shall see if you really mean what you say. I'll leave for now. I need to ask King Izuna's permission to borrow it, but I'm certain he will let me." The mermaid explains.

"Alright. I'll see you soon. This is going to be great. I bet that I'm a Protector. Sasuke is going to be so jealous." Naruto says smugly.

Hinata giggles. There really was no way to tell who was a Protector or Nurturer by looking. Sometimes your instincts might just know though. Still she felt she should warn him about that.

"I would love you either way. It makes no difference to me if you are a Protector or a Nurturer." She promises and swims off.

The blonde college student watches as the beautiful mermaid leaves. He couldn't believe how bizarre his life had gotten. His best friend was now a merman, pregnant, and a prince. Oh and he was in love with a future duchess Who also happened to be a mermaid. Sometimes he wondered if this was all a wonderfully strange dream and if he was about to wake up.

Back in Atlantis, Madara finds Izuna and his wife. He decided that the best way to resolve this was the direct approach. Far too often people made things more complicated than they had to be.

"I spoke with Kitasha. I do not believe that she will continue to make this uncomfortable situation worse." He begins.

Izuna raises an eyebrow. Somehow he doubted that all Madara did was speak to his former wife. Kitasha was not a mermaid who was so easily dissuaded from her goals.

"And besides words, what else did this discussion entail?" The King of Atlantis demands.

"I may have thrown her up against a wall." He says cautiously.

Aiko gives Madera a dirty look. She did not like Kitasha. The mermaid did not like her at all, but she would not condone a merman throwing his weight around when it came to other mermaids.

"And I may have gagged her. I also might have tied her up in a rope. Her power is her voice. Gagging her was somewhat necessary. There wouldn't be much of a point in using a gag, if she could easily remove it. So I feel that the rope was also justified." The feral King continues.

"Brother, do you have any idea what you have done? Kitasha is not the type of mermaid that will forget something like that. Her pride will demand that she counter your slight." Izuna warns him.

Madara shrugs. He was not particularly worried about what the beautiful Lady would do. If she wanted to challenge him to a contest of wills and wits, he had no worries. The King was absolutely certain that he would emerge victorious.

"Just because you did not know how to handle her, does not mean that I don't. Trust me. I have seen her ilk before and I know how to respond accordingly. The reason she acts out so, is because you have allowed it. You never really tried to assert dominance over her. That makes her view you as weak. She'll swim all over you because of that." His brother informs him.

Izuna looks at his brother skeptically. Clearly, he had no idea who he was dealing with. Kitasha might not be stronger than Madara, but she was a cunning bitch.

"Madara, Kitasha can be quite manipulative. She is a schemer. I don't think you truly understand how vile she can be." Aiko says softly.

"Oh I fully understand that. That's what makes her an interesting opponent. Still I don't think she'll actually be foolish enough to challenge me. If she is, well she'll regret it." He says with a shrug.

The King of Atlantis sighs. His brother was rather stubborn. Once Madara got an idea into his head, there was no reasoning with him. Seeing that he was fighting a losing battle, he decides to change topics.

"Do you have any suggestions for how we can repair our relationships with Sasuke and Itachi?" He asks.

"I don't know. You have both made some rather poor choices. I can't blame either of them for being furious, but they are both pregnant. Odds are they will at least be willing to hear you out for the hatchlings' sake. " The other King offers.

That wasn't' particularly reassuring. Still it was something. The King and Queen nod their heads in agreement.

"In case I was being in any way unclear, that means get your tails moving. Go and speak with them NOW. Listen to them. Do not try to rationalize your choices. Don't lavish them with declarations of love. That will only upset them further." Madara continues.

The Mated pair nod their heads to show that they were listening. Neither of them knew how to repair the rift between them and the princes. Perhaps Madara might be able to come up with an approach that would actually yield results.

"Fair enough. Thus far that approach hasn't worked. So there may very well be merit to what you are saying." Izuna concedes.

"Damn right there is merit to what I am saying. Foolish little brother, your life would be so much easier, if you would just listen to me in the first place. Finally, allow them to heir their grievances. They will both likely curse you out for a good long while. They may even physically attack you. Let them get it out of their system." Madara finishes.

Izuna chuckles. One thing was for certain. Madara had never lacked for confidence. He gestures to his Mate to follow him. They needed to find the boys and sort his all out.

"Thank you, brother." He whispers as they swim off.

"You're welcome. Honestly, he should pay me for my family therapy services." Madara mutters to himself.

Meanwhile Suigetsu was with Kisame. The two of them were currently working on building cribs for their hatchlings. It wasn't going so well.

"OWE! DAMN IT!" Suigetsu hisses when the hammer accidentally hit his thumb.

"Maybe we should just buy the cribs." Kisame growls after he gets a splinter.

"It means more if we make them though. Anyone can buy a crib. But it shows more dedication if you build something by hand." The other Protector argues.

Kisame nods. It was as nice idea in theory. Though at the rate these demonic cribs were going, they might die long before they ever managed to build something usable.

"You know that is really sweet, but we can just buy the crib." Itachi's voice calls out in amusement as the brothers swim towards their Mates.

"You're much better at swinging your own hammer than someone else's." Sasuke says in amusement as he swims up to Suigetsu.

Suigetsu smiles. He wraps his arms around his Mate. Ah there was his Ssasy. Damn their surprise was ruined though.

"Well I guess you're right. It's the thought that counts though?" He asks and Sasuke nods.

Itachi wraps his arms around Kisame and places a quick kiss to his cheek. The Akatsuki smiles and does the same. The half finished cribs were soon forgotten.

"How did it go?" Kisame asks.

"We found out the genders of our hatchlings. I wish you could have been there, but you both had to go and frighten the healer." Itachi chides them gently.

The Protectors had the decency to look at least a little sheepish. Both brothers could feel from their bonds though, that they felt perfectly justified in their actions. The princes shake their heads in amusement.

"So what are we having?" Kisame asks excitedly.

"We are having a daughter. An Akatsuki Princess." Itachi says simply and umpfs when Kisame scoops him up in his arms joyfully and spins his Mate around in a celebratory fashion.

"Yes, Kisame. I am very excited too, but if you don't stop that I'm going to be sick. My Morning Sickness has not completely passed yet!" Itachi warns him and his lover gently sets him down.

Kisame apologizes. He smiles and caresses Itachi's cheek. The Akatsuki begins purring in a soothing fashion and wraps his arms protectively around his pregnant Mate.

"What about us, Sassy?" Suigetsu asks.

"We are having a son. Straight flippers." Sasuke replies and eeps when Suigetsu spins him around in a manner very similar to how Itachi had just been spun.

"S-uigetsu, I'm going to be sick. I'm happy too, but please put me down!" Sasuke protests.

Suigetsu bashfully sets his Mate down. They were going to have a son! He couldn't believe it. Wow.

Elsewhere in the castle, Aiko and Izuna go looking for the princes. They smile when they finally find them. Their Mates had been spinning them around joyfully. Likely because of some news about their pregnancy.

"I assume you found out the genders." Izuna observes good naturedly.

Sasuke stiffens. He knew that he should at least try to mend things between himself and his parents. It was hard though.

"Yes, we did." He mutters.

Suigetsu nuzzles Sasuke. He purrs loudly. The Protector was trying to soothe his agitated Mate. He was relieved when he felt Sassy cuddle back into him.

"I am having a daughter. Whether or not Sasuke wants to share what he is having with you, I can not say." Itachi states flatly and laces his fingers with Kisame's hand.

Sasuke looks at Suigetsu uncertainly. The human part of his mind, mentally slapped himself for that gesture. He didn't need his Mate's permission to tell his parents the gender of their baby.

"Their going to find out eventually anyway. If you want to spite them for a couple of months, that's up to you. It's kinda pointless though, don't you think?" His lover asks.

"I guess you're right. We are having a boy." Sasuke says.

Izuna smiles. He reaches out to Sasuke and Itachi. He wanted to embrace his sons at the good news. A grandson and a granddaughter were on the way. It was a happy day. Well it should have been.

He quickly retracts his hands when he saw that his sons were both shooting him a rather dirty look. Izuna sighs. Well he did deserve that.

"And another thing, Itachi can be King one day. I didn't grow up in this world. He's been trained to rule. He's the better choice, but I do want to be trained as a prince. I know almost nothing about this world. I didn't even recognize the daughter of the Duke." Sasuke snaps.

Aiko smiles. Well that was progress at least. Sasuke may be far from cuddling up to them, but teaching him how to be a prince would go a long ways towards mending those bridges.

"We would be delighted to teach you. There is so much that you have to learn. Don't worry. You are a smart merman. You'll catch on quickly." Aiko assures him.

Kisame could see that this was going to get awkward. He gestures for Itachi to follow him. The elder prince nods and swims off with his lover. Sasuke needed some privacy to sort out his issues with their parents. Their presence would only make things even more complicated than they already were.

"Good. I'm tired of being clueless." Sasuke mutters.

"You aren't clueless, Sassy." Suigetsu assures him and gently caresses his inflated pouch.

"Mmm when it comes to things like ruling, I kinda am." The Nurturer replies and purrs at the affectionate gesture.

He had such a good Mate. Yes, he was a pervert. But most of the time that was fun. He was also very good at soothing him. Sasuke smiles at the knowledge that Suigetsu had tried to make their hatchling a crib. (He might have failed miserably at it, but it was the thought that counted.)

Suigetsu smiles. He could feel Sasuke's "praise." He nuzzles his Sassy and watches the King and Queen warily. He wasn't exactly sure how this was all going to work out.

"How about we start our prince lessons in the morning?" Izuna inquires.

"Alright. That sounds good. Suigetsu and I have some baby shopping to do anyway." Sasuke says and swims off with his lover.

Elsewhere in the castle, Madara watches Kitasha. He was fairly confident that she wouldn't try anything. But he knew better than to assume that was going to be the case. So yes, he was following her.

He was following her without her knowledge. Most people would have called this spying. Madara preferred to refer to it as intelligence gathering. Besides, the view was lovely. There were worse ways to spend the afternoon than following that lovely tail around.

"That's clever." He muses to himself.

The mermaid was investigating Sasuke and Suigetsu's room. Probably looking for clues about their daily life. Knowing her, she was likely hoping that Sasuke or Suigetsu kept some sort of journal.

"Damn. Well I knew it wasn't likely that Suigetsu would keep one. Protectors aren't the most introspective types. I was hoping that Sasuke would though." She mutters.

"Keep what exactly?" Madara asks and Kitasha eeps.

Oh that wasn't good. Now she would have to come up with an excuse as to why she was in their room. The Merman King was clever enough to see through any obvious lies.

"A journal." The red head admits.

She couldn't think of a believable lie. Maybe Madara would go easy on her, if she actually told the truth. At the moment, that was really Kitasha's only hope.

"You were hoping to spy on them. Now what did I tell you about meddling with my family?" He asks in a disapproving voice.

"You can hardly blame me. Besides, it's important to know how Sasuke is adjusting to everything. He's a Prince of Atlantis. Your brother is clueless. He has absolutely no idea how to reach out to him. Perhaps a journal could help." She suggests.

Madara raises an eyebrow. He knew that Kitasha didn't actually think he was foolish enough to believe that, did she? If she did, that was an insult to his intelligence.

The mermaid didn't sincerely expect to buy that she wanted to help her ex husband win back his son's love, did she? Impossible. He was not born yesterday.

"Kitasha, we both knew that you were plotting. I shall be lenient with you this time because you were at least partially truthful. I'm sure that's extraordinarily rare, considering what Utakata said about you. But you still have to be punished for lying to me and trying to spy on my family." The Protector says.

Uh oh. Kitasha backs up slowly. She needed to get out of his range. The only problem was that she had no idea how far his telekinesis really worked. Her only hope was to out swim him, after letting out a wail.

"Madara, don't make me do it. I have no wish to fight you. But I will if you attack me. We don't need to be enemies." She warns him.

"Kitasha, your scheming ways may be intimidating to my brother but to me you are about as fearsome as a clownfish. Your idle threats will do you now good against me." He says and lunges at her.


	20. Chapter 20

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Well this chapter is going to have at least one, maybe two important developments. So I hope you all enjoy it.

 **Chapter Notation:** Madara plays rough. I didn't think it was bad enough to merit a warning though. I know some people were wondering about Naruto's tail. So you will get your answer in this one. Next chapter will be full of surprises.

Chapter Twenty

It didn't take Hinata long to come back. She smiles and he swims out to meet her in the more shallow waters of the beach. The beautiful mermaid holds out a gorgeous gem. The only thing that could possibly compete with its radiance was Hinata's eyes.

"Right. So how does this work? Is it painful? How long does it take?" Naruto asks and tries to keep his nervousness out of his voice.

He hadn't really thought this through. Oh Naruto didn't have any doubts that he wanted to become a merman and Hinata. He did. He just hadn't thought through the mechanical aspects of becoming a merman.

"You just hold it in the palm of your hand. It will work its magic if you truly do love me. If you don't, nothing will happen. I've never seen it done before, but Queen Aiko said it wasn't painful when she did it. She's Sasuke's biological mother." Hinata adds as an afterthought.

"Oh well good. Sounds simple enough. Here goes." Naruto says as he holds the precious gem in his hand.

The blonde human was immediately surrounded in a swirl of water and beautiful lights. White and blue lights. It was practically angelic really. He gulps a bit anxiously when the lights and water get closer. It was a only natural to be a little skittish when you were about to change species!

"Don't be afraid, Naruto." Hinata calls out softly from behind the magical cocoon of water and lights that had encircled him.

"I'm not afraid! Everything is fine!" The blue eyed human says, hating that his voice sounded just a little squeakier than he would have considered normal.

Just as he said that the water and lights completely covered him. When the unexpected shower subsided, "fell" into the water. Naruto expected to be gasping for breath, but he wasn't.

Holy shit! He could breathe under water! That's when the blonde looked down and gasps.

The blonde now had a radiant orange colored tail with a white pouch. Naurto idly notes that his tail was much bigger than Hinata's. He figures it was probably because he was a guy.

"Hinata! Look! Look! I have a tail!" He exclaims.

"I know. It came in very nice. You have shiny scales. I didn't expect orange, but I like it." She says with a giggle and swims over to him.

Naruto laughs and wraps his arms around her. Wow. This was amazing. All his senses were so much sharper too! It felt like he had been blind, deaf, and dumb his whole life. Suddenly everything was an explosion of color, sounds, and smells. Even his sense of touch had been enhanced.

"Whoa. Hinata. This is amazing!" Naruto yells.

"I know. You really do love me." She says with a smile.

"Not that. Well yes, of course! I mean…well you know what I mean." Naruto stammers and Hinata shakes her head in amusement.

She places a quick kiss on his cheek and holds out her hand to him. The hyper blonde intertwines his fingers with hers and they head off. He didn't really know where they were going, but he trusts the noble mermaid to get them there safely.

"I think there's something that I should tell you. Mermaids and mermen all have a talent. A magical power. It varies from one person to the next." She says.

"Oh cool! What's yours?" Her intended inquires curiously.

Hinata smiles. She thought her talent was rather obvious, but she didn't mind telling him. Naruto loved her. He must have or he wouldn't have turned into a merman.

"Healing. There's really no way to tell what you have until you use it. It'll happen on instinct. Don't worry, a merman or mermaids talents can't be used against themselves. It's others that might have to be nervous when your talent is triggered, depending on what it ends up being." Hinata warns him.

"Oh right. I should have guessed that. So do all healers have that talent or is it just the luck of the draw?" He asks.

"A little of both. If you have healing as a talent, it's natural that you'd probably consider a career as a healer. But most healers do not have that talent. It's somewhat rare talent. Though there are other talents that are far more numerous or scarce." Hinata explains.

Naruto nods in understanding. He was eager to learn more of this new, strange world. It was strange, but a wonderful one.

"So do you know what Sasuke's talent is?" The blue eyed merman asks.

"Oh the prince is gifted with lightning." The mermaid answers automatically.

The orange tailed being blinks. Lightning?! How could Hinata say that as if it was no big deal. Then again, maybe it wasn't for her people. Well THEIR people, he mentally corrects himself. This was going to take some getting used to.

Naruto was no longer human. He was a merman. He was a merman who was dating the daughter of a Duke. His best friend was a Prince of fucking Atlantis. Yes, this was definitely going to take awhile to get used to.

"It's considered a highly desired offensive talent. Though obviously it can be used defensively." She continues and leads him further into the ocean.

"Yeah. Cool. I got it. So Hinata, where are we going exactly?" Her suitor dares to question.

Hinata giggles. The answer should have been clear as day. Still she supposed he could be forgiven. He had just become a merman. Naruto was likely feeling a bit dazed.

"Atlantis. My home. Our home. I'm sure that you will grow to love it there. The surface world is beautiful in its own way, but I much prefer our world." She suggests shyly.

She didn't want him to think that she was insulting where he came from. That wasn't it at all. Hinata was just used to her home. People tended to prefer what was familiar. It was only natural. (Well in her mind anyway.)

"Oh cool! So how far away is that exactly? I mean people have been trying to find it forever." Naruto replies merrily.

"Oh just a few thousand feet below us." Hinata informs him as she begins to dive down further.

Naruto blinks. Holy shit! He had been living next to an ancient mythological civilization his entire life and had never known it. Damn. He didn't know how to process that as he followed her.

Back in Atlantis, Kitasha narrowly avoids Madara's lunge. For such a massive merman, he was surprisingly fast. Unfortunately for him, speed had always been one of her greatest assets.

She was able to dodge. Kitasha lets out a wail. She knew that she was likely only going to get one shot at this. No matter how powerful the Protector was, his ears were just as vulnerable as anyone else's.

"AHHH DAMN IT!" Madara hisses in pain as he clutches his ears.

Kitasha lets out a sigh of relief. She knew that her only option was to make a swim for it. As long as she managed to get in front of witnesses, she knew that he wouldn't kill her or do whatever he was planning to do.

That was her only option. There was no way that she was going to defeat him in combat. The red head was confident in her abilities, but she was far from stupid. Challenging Madara directly was not only foolish, it was also suicidal.

"I can't believe she pulled a fast one on me." Madara mutters as he slowly retracts his hands from his ears.

He notes with some alarm that they were covered in covered in blood. She had made his ears bleed. Madara wasn't overly alarmed about this mermen and mermaids healed much faster than humans. No permanent damage would be done.

He growls and swims after her. He knew that Kitasha was strong. Izuna never would have married a weak mermaid. Still he was confident that in any combat situation between them, he would emerge the victor. Kitasha was the type of mermaid that won her battle of wills through manipulation and cunning, not necessarily strength.

"NURTURER, WINDOW!" He calls out and the mermaid is thrown out the glass window.

He knew that she would be feeling that. As a mermaid, she'd heal much faster than a human. At most those cuts would be gone in a day, but it would get the job done.

Madara quickly covers his ears as she lets out another shriek. He swims over to her and gags her again. This time, he came prepared. He had hoped that she would learn her lesson the first time. Sadly, this did not appear to be the case.

"I had hoped that you would be a good mermaid and not meddle again. Oh well. You've always been the sort that enjoys challenging authority. Normally, I find that an attractive quality really. But you made the mistake of challenging mine." He tells her and Kitasha winces as she tries to undo the gag.

Two large hands were soon on top of hers. The red head gulps. Oh that was not good. That was definitely not good at all. She knew full well that the Protector was more than capable of crushing her hands at the moment.

"Mmpf!" That was all she could manage to say due to the gag.

"You're bleeding. You wouldn't be if you had been a good Nurturer and listened to me." He states and licks the cut that was just over the top of her breasts.

He smirks when he felt her shiver and her scent change. There was still fear, but it was mostly desire. Good. He could work with that. Madara decides it was safe enough to undo the gag for now.

"Don't make me regret that decision. I will not go anywhere near as easy on you the next time you defy me. You are just rather fortunate that I like the way your black seashells flattered your breasts. Don't try my patience again." He warns her.

"I won't scream." She promises.

"I never said that I didn't want you to scream. I just don't want to scream in a way that makes my ears bleed. There is a difference. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a vocal mermaid." The Protector informs her with a smirk.

Kitasha wasn't certain how to react to that. This was Madara. It was possible that he was playing a mind game. It was equally possible that he just enjoyed using sex as a way of asserting dominance in a more pleasurable fashion than violence. There was also the chance that he might genuinely be attracted to her.

At the moment, she was beginning to suspect it was a mix of all three. Madara was not an easily understood merman. She knew exactly how to handle Izuna. His older brother not so much.

Elsewhere Sasuke heads to his first Royal Lesson. Suigetsu, Itachi, and Kisame were also there. His Protector was currently glaring daggers at the back of his father's head. This thought amused him.

"Sasuke, could you kindly ask your Mate not to look at me with such contempt? It's making it rather difficult to focus on your answers." Izuna asks.

"I don't know. He feels what I feel. I'm pregnant and he's my Protector. Isn't it natural for him to respond to my…displeasure?" Sasuke inquires.

Itachi surprises a chuckle at that. For a Nurturer, Sasuke was a rather feisty merman. It was surprising in some ways that he wasn't a Protector. Then again, his mother was the fiercest person that he had ever met. (Well aside from Madara.) So being a Nurturer didn't necessarily mean you were docile.

Aiko sighs. She continues choosing some books that Sasuke might find beneficial. There was just so much that he had to learn. That was assuming he ever put aside the bad blood between them long enough to learn.

"I can't believe you gave him a freaking test like he's some hatchling in school." Kisame mutters.

"This is just to see what he knows now and what his instincts are in situations that most royals will have to deal with. It's not a pass or fail exam. It's just a baseline." Izuna responds defensively.

Suigetsu rolls his eyes at this. Yes, a baseline. Right. Sasuke had taken the "examination" in stride though.

Suigetsu had to resist the urge to screw his brains out when his brows crunched up all adorably in concentration when he was answering the questions. There was just something really hot about geeky Sasuke. (Which was odd because Suigesu normally didn't go for the academic types.)

"Suigetsu, do you have to think like that while my parents are in the same room?!" Sasuke mutters and tries to hide his blush.

"Sassy, the bond only works between us. They can't feel what we do. No need to be embarrassed and it's not my fault that the geeky side of you is disturbingly hot." His Mate protests.

Izuna chuckles. Well if nothing else, he knew that his youngest son was in a very loving relationship. Well at least a very physical one anyway.

"It's only natural to feel that way towards your Mate. You are both in the Honeymoon Stage, so the feelings are particularly strong. It's supposed to encourage siring hatchlings." Aiko chimes in helpfully.

"It already did that. I still say that my pouch looks like a fucking football." The youngest prince grumbles in annoyance.

Itachi tilts his head. He couldn't help but wonder what a football was. He shrugs. Oh well. It didn't really matter. He smiles and leans back into his own Protector.

"How are you feeling?" Kisame whispers to him.

"Mmm alright. Though you could have determined that through the bond." Itachi points out.

"I know, but I like hearing you say it." The Akatsuki informs him.

Sasuke glances at his brother and Kisame. He vaguely wondered what their child would look like. Would she be Akatsuki or a regular mermaid? Maybe she'd be a hybrid.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but have Akatsukis and regular mermaids and regular mermen ever had children together before? I mean…is my niece going to be an Akatsuki? It doesn't matter to me. I'm just curious." Sasuke says in a rush, hoping like Hell that he didn't offend them somehow.

"Yes, they have. It's pretty rare, but starting to happen more often. She'll be a mix of Itachi's kind and mine. Though there is quite a bit of physical variation amongst hybrids." Kisame replies.

Sasuke merely nods. Izuna goes back to grading the paper. Hmm interesting answers. That's when all Hell broke loose.

Naruto had followed Hinata to Atlantis and into the castle. After asking some guards were Prince Sasuke was, they headed to the Royal Library. That's when he saw Sasuke and went swimming right towards him. That knocked Izuna's desk over in the process and sent the papers flying everywhere.

"BASTARD! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU! Look! I'm a merman now! Pretty cool huh?! Oh and my tail is totally way cooler than yours!" He says cheerfully and hugs Sasuke.

"Naruto, how the Hell did you get here? Wait, you are an orange fucking tail? What the Hell? I didn't know tails came in orange. Nevermind, it doesn't matter. It's great to see you. It doesn't matter that you are clearly colorblind because my tail is better than yours. As long as yours works, that's really all that matters." Sasuke says smugly.

"Sasuke, who the Hell is this?" Izuna asks in irritation.

The young prince laughs. Of course his father had no idea who Naruto was. Oh boy. This was going to be fun. He couldn't help but smirk.

Izuna wouldn't know what hit him. The blonde was the most unpredictable person that he had ever met. Now that he was a merman, he was sure that his best friend was going to cause a lot of havoc.

"This is Naruto. He's my best friend. He used to be human though…" Sasuke says.

"I gave him the stone and he changed." Hinata says helpfully.

"Oh. I didn't realize you two were THAT serious. Congratulations." Sasuke says with a smile.

Hinata and Naruto nod. The two of them were beaming. Izuna just shakes his head and Aiko shrugs as if to say, _"Just go with it."_

"You are of course welcome to stay in the palace. Any friend of our son's is a friend of ours." The mermaid Queen offers.

"Really? Wow! That's great! Thanks." Naruto says happily and swims around excitedly.

Aiko blinks. That was one hyper merman. Well she supposed this must all be very exciting to him. She used to be human and remembered when she first transformed that she felt like she was living in a fairytale for weeks afterwards.

"Well I'm going to try to clean this up and assess your answers. Perhaps you should call it a day. You can show your friend around." Izuna suggests.

"Yeah. Alright. Come on, loser. There's a lot that I have to tell you." Sasuke says and swims off with Naruto.

Suigetsu blinks. Well he supposed it was only natural that Sasuke would want to show his friend around. Still he felt a little ditched.

"I felt that. You can come too." Sasuke calls back at his Mate and the white haired merman was soon swimming at their sides.

Izuna couldn't help but wonder how Hiashi would react to Hinata's new suitor. He chuckles. It was a most amusing thought. It was funny to imagine the prim and proper merman react to the boisterous blonde.

"So that's Sasuke's best friend?" He asks.

"Yes, he's the prince's best friend and my future Mate. So be nice." Hinata says warningly.

Itachi chuckles. He never thought he'd live to see the day when Hinata of all people was chiding the King of Atlantis. Neptune, what was going to happen next?

"Come on Itachi. Let's get you back to our room. You should be resting. You don't want to overexert yourself." Kisame says.

"I guess you're right." The eldest prince agrees and swims off with his lover.

He honestly didn't feel that tired. Still Itachi had learned his lesson a couple weeks ago. It really was just best to humor his anxious Protector. Kisame meant well and most of the time his pampering was enjoyable or amusing. Sometimes it could get on his nerves, but that was as small price to pay for being in love.

"Things just keep getting stranger and stranger." Aiko muses and her Mate nods in agreement.

"It was a pleasure to see you as always, my King and Queen. I should go and inform my father about Naruto's arrival." Hinata says.

The mermaid curtsies and soon darts off. She bit her lower lip. Hinata wasn't really sure how Hiashi would react to her soon to be lover. She could only hope that her father was in a good mood.

Meanwhile Sasuke was showing Naruto around. He was swimming next to his Mate. Occasionally, he would brush scales with Suigetsu or hold his hand. The last thing that he wanted was for his lover to get jealous of his best friend.

He knew enough now to realize that Suigetsu's Protector instincts were likely driving him half crazy. It was important that the white haired merman knew that Sasuke wanted him and only him. Sasuke figured handholding was a more proper way to express his love for Suigetsu in front of Naruto than some of the erotic thoughts that were apparently dancing across his lover's mind.

"I know, Sassy." Suigetsu says with a smile and kisses his cheek.

Sasuke smiles and cuddles up to him. Well as much as swimming through the hallway allowed for such a thing. He didn't even really mind the odd looks that Naruto was giving him for this action.

"Wow. I guess you two really are married and stuff. I never thought I'd see the bastard get so cuddly. So what's it like? You know…being pregnant as a man? Does it hurt?" The blonde asks.

"It's…hard to describe really. Other than the Morning Sickness, the food cravings, and some mood swings, I feel alright. Morning Sickness sucks though." Sasuke admits.

Naruto nods sympathetically. Yeah, it might be fun to tease Sasuke about being pregnant, but he didn't want to really hurt his feeling. As odd as the situation was, he was still Naruto's best friend.

"Do you know what you are having yet? Can mermen even check to see what gender their baby is while they are pregnant? Do mermaids and mermen have that level of technology?" The blue eyed man continues on curiously.

"We are having a son. Yes, we can. Apparently, we do. This place is amazing, Naruto. It's a completely functional civilization. I don't really know what I expected, but this wasn't it." Sasuke tells him.

The blonde nods. Yeah, he was getting that impress. Hinata was a Duchess. Clearly, there was a lot going on underneath the ocean. It was amazing really.

"So how big is the egg going to be, do you know?" Naruto asks.

"Hmm. Well it starts off about the size of a chicken's egg. That's when it slips out of the pouch. It'll expand for awhile after that. By the time it's done, it's about the size of a bowling ball or a watermelon. Our hatchlings are usually about the same size as a human's." Suigetsu explains.

"You guys must be pretty excited. Have you thought of a name yet?" He asks.

Sasuke blinks. Damn it. They were going to need a name! He was still getting used to the idea of being pregnant. He should have focused on important things like names.

"Not yet. I mean we still have about two months. I'm sure that we'll come up with something good." The youngest prince says.

"Yeah. You could always name him after me. You are having a boy. So it works." The orange tailed merman says.

Sasuke shakes his head. There was no way he was naming his first child, Naruto. No. He was going to be a prince. Prince Naruto just didn't sound very dignified.

"No. I think we should go with something more…merman like." Sasuke says firmly.

"Oh that reminds me. I still have to tell my brother about us. This is going to be great. You'll like him. He's awesome." Suigetsu assures him.

Naruto blinks. He didn't know that Suigetsu had a brother. Well he supposed it made sense. Why wouldn't mermaids and mermen have more than one kid?

"I'm sure he is." Sasuke says with a smile and kisses his Mate's cheek.

The new merman watches the scene and was struck by how surreal the entire situation was. He was a merman. His best friend was a pregnant merman and a prince. Oh and he was in love with a future Duchess. Yeah, it was all pretty fucking surreal.


	21. Chapter 21

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. This chapter is going to take two months after the last one. I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter 21

"Owe! Suigetsu!" Sasuke growls warningly at his Mate two months later.

"Sorry. I can't help it. When you bend over like that, I'm going to smack that gorgeous tail of yours. Who can blame me?" Suigetsu asks.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. One thing was for sure. He never had to question if the white haired merman wanted him. Suigetsu proved that _all the time._ He was probably the most spoiled Nurturer in all of Atlantis.

"You are such a pervert. I can't even bend over to grab a book from the bottom shelf, without you smacking my ass. I mean my tail. Well where my ass would be if I was in the Evolution Stage!" Sasuke exclaims in frustration.

"You like it though. You like it when I let you know just how much I want to bend you over and fuck your brains out." Suigetsu says and wraps his arms around his Mate's waist, purring as he kisses the Mating Mark.

Sasuke sighs softly in pleasure and leans back against him. It was hard to stay even mildly annoyed at Suigetsu for long. The Protector was just so damn _seductive._

"Mmm never said I didn't like it. I just don't want bruises." Sasuke warns him and moans when his lover kisses his neck.

"Mmm don't worry. I'll kiss them all better." Suigetsu promises and bites down lightly.

"Nhhh." Sasuke replies and tilts his head to the side.

It was a complete display of submission, trust, and arousal. Thankfully, Sasuke was still new to being a merman and didn't know that just yet. Suigetsu knew how stubborn and proud his Mate was. He'd never make that sexy little move again, if he realized how truly submissive it was.

"I love you, Sassy." He purrs and nuzzles him.

"Mmm I love you too." He whispers and squirms as he felt a slight tingly sensation.

Sasuke couldn't really describe it. It was a combination of warmth and feeling ticklish. He looks down at his pouch and blinks. Something was peeking out over the now volleyball sized pouch. Something dark blue.

"Suigetsu! I think something's wrong." He calls out in alarm.

"Shush. Shush. It's okay. The egg's just ready to leave the pouch now." Suigetsu says.

"But it's BLUE! Something must have gone wrong. Is it…is he dead?!" Sasuke panics.

Suigetsu sighs. He quickly kisses his Mate and tries to calm him down. Yeah. He probably should have warned Sasuke that like tails, eggs came in a wide variety of colors.

"No. He's not dead. It's just that eggs vary in coloration, much like our tails and hair do. The color doesn't actually mean anything. Well sometimes it can give you a clue about what color eyes, tail, or hair they might have, but that's it." Suigetsu assures him.

Sasuke sighs in relief. Their baby was okay. He must have been okay. Suigetsu was perfectly calm. He could feel that through the bond. Surely, if something was wrong…he wouldn't be able to hide his grief from Sasuke.

"That's better. Why don't we go back to our room and we can take the egg out and put him somewhere nice and safe?" Suigetsu suggests.

"We can just pull it out? That won't hurt him?" His Mate asks.

"No. It won't hurt him. Trust me, Sassy. I know what I'm doing." The violet eyed merman says as he swims back to their room with his Mate.

Sasuke nods. He'd just have to trust his Mate. It was a good thing that Suigetsu was so calm because he felt like he was just one or two tail strokes away from panicking.

"Easy there. Why don't you just lay on the bed and I'll grab us something nice to wrap him in?" He asks.

"Alright." Sasuke says as he does exactly that.

His human side hated the fact that he was being so passive. It was panicking and felt like he was being weak. His blue brain was telling that side to shut the fuck up and let Suigetsu take care of it.

"There we go. A nice silk pillow case should do nicely. God knows his father loves the fabric." Suigetsu says smugly as he swims over.

The prince felt his face heat up slightly. Suigetsu could feel what he felt. So he knew that Sasuke loved rolling around in the silk blankets as they made love or embraced afterwards.

"Y-eah that sounds good." The raven haired merman agrees.

Sugietsu nods in agreement. He smiles and kisses Sasuke. His emotions were all over the place. Though the one that stood out the most was the fact that Sassy was definitely nervous. It was only natural, he supposed. It was his first time laying a hatchling.

"Just relax. You should be thankful that you don't have to go through what human women do. It's a wonder that humanity has survived as long as it has." He muses.

Sasuke nods. Yeah. That was true. Thank God that he wasn't a human woman going into labor.

"Is it going to hurt when the egg is pulled out?" Sasuke asks.

"No more painful than when those sunglasses were removed. I'll do it. You're too nervous to do it. Your hands are shaking, Sassy." Suigetsu says as he slowly slides the egg out of his Mate's pouch.

Sasuke watches as Suigetsu tenderly lays the egg on the pillowcase. He glances at it curiously. It was about the size of a chicken's egg and a royal blue color. Though there were two beautiful small flecks of violet in the center of it and for some reason the top of it was snow white.

"Well it is very pretty." He observes.

"Of course. Was there ever any doubt? I mean he's got your genes and mine. Kid is going to be a fucking knockout." Suigetsu says smugly.

Sasuke snorts in amusement. Well there was no shortage of fatherly pride coming from his Mate. Sasuke smiles and rests his head on Suigetsu's shoulder.

"So you said one to three days? A week tops?" He asks softly.

"That's right. Don't worry. He'll be hatching very soon." His lover assures him.

Elsewhere in the castle, Madara just shakes his head. He had to admit that Kitasha was quite possibly the most persistent mermaid that he had ever met. She was a stubborn red head. Unfortunately for her, he was even more stubborn than she was.

"I thought that I had made myself rather clear that you were not to meddle with my family again." He muses.

Kitasha was relieved when she didn't squeak. The Nurturer would never have lived down that humiliation. Still she knew that she was far from out of the woods yet. Madara had caught her messing with youngest prince's mail.

"I'm doing him a favor. As you said, your brother is foolish. In the long run, I am saving Prince Sasuke quite a bit of heartache. Don't you agree?" She asks and decides that maybe reasoning with him would be the smartest approach to take.

"As I said, he is foolish. But he is MY foolish, little brother. I won't have you meddling with him. He and Sasuke are finally starting to prepare their relationship. Besides, that merman is having his first hatchling soon. He should be focusing on that and not getting drawn into your petty wars." He says, grabs Kitasha, and drags her off.

The red head thrashes around in his hold. Madara raises an eyebrow. He didn't seem to know whether to be annoyed or amused that she thought she could actually escape his grasp.

"I do hope that you are intelligent enough to realize that your efforts are completely futile." The elder King states as he takes her inside one of the bedchambers.

"Well one can't blame a mermaid for trying." She mutters.

He shakes his head. Madara throws her on the bed. He knew that the force of the throw wouldn't hurt her, but it would get the message across.

"Bad Kitasha. I suppose that I've given you more than enough warnings." He says swims over to the bed.

The mermaid was laying on her stomach and about to get up, when Madara holds her down. He shakes his head. In a way, he did admire her spirit. Still she really should know better than to challenge him in such a fashion. He was not Izuna. He wouldn't tolerate such defiance.

"Madara, can't we talk about this?" She squeaks.

 **Warning Spanking/Marking Scene**

"No. No. I tried that approach. I guess you are the sort of Nurturer that has to learn things the hard way." He says and the sound of a SMACK is heard.

Kitasha just openly gapes at him. She couldn't believe that Madara had actually spanked her! She didn't know whether to be furious, shocked, or disturbingly aroused by this turn of events.

"I can't believe you just spanked me like I'm some naughty hatchling!" She hisses at him outrage.

Outrage was probably the best response. If she showed any hint of weakness or embarrassment, he would pounce. He would strike like a tiger shark that smelled blood in the water. That was just who Madara Uchiha was.

"If you had followed my instructions like a reasonable mermaid, then I wouldn't have to treat you in this fashion. You have been naughty. Not in the way a hatchling might be, but still." He says and swats her backside once more.

Kitasha lets out a startled yip. It didn't actually hurt. She wouldn't say that he was being gentle, but he was far from being as aggressive as he could be. She had seen that many literally punch through solid stone walls before. This was…almost gentle by Madara standards.

"Izuna is my King. You have no authority over me." She snaps at him and tries to whirl around.

"Oh that may be true, but that's never really stopped you before. You ignore that fact. My brother is your King and yet you conspire against him. Most people would consider that treason and we both know that isn't true. I do have authority over you." Madara reasons as he glides his hand over the curve of the back of her tail.

Madara knew that Kitasha had to be punished. Did spanking have to be the form of punishment he dispensed? No, but he would be lying, if he said he didn't enjoy it.

Had she been in her human form, he would have been caressing her ass. Despite being in her natural form, it was still a rather suggestive gesture. There was really no mistaking the intention for anything, but what it was.

"You are a brilliant warrior, but perhaps you have been taking too many blows to the head. Your mind appears rather addled. You hold no authority over me." The red head thunders at him.

"Considering that your tail has turned into scaled legs, I think I do. Perhaps not a legal authority, but a more…pleasurable one." He states in a cocky fashion.

The woman was always challenging him. He had never seen anyone as bold as Kitasha when it came to defying authority. There was an erotic quality to it and well she did have a very beautiful tail. That probably also had something to do with his current excitement.

Kitasha felt her face heat up. Damn it. That couldn't be true, could it? She makes the mistake of looking down and notes to her mortification that it was. Damn it.

"You are such a vulgar barbarian sometimes." She grumbles.

Dare he say that it was adorable when she grumbled? She was all bluster. In reality, she might as well have been a clownfish compared to him. Kitasha was no real threat to him, as long as she couldn't unleash her banshee screams. So her annoyance was…cute.

"Perhaps that is accurate, but you do not seem to entirely mind. I must admit that you do have lovely legs. Now back to the issue at hand. You will cease challenging my authority in this way." He says firmly.

Indeed, she did have lovely legs. Actually, her body was exceptionally well formed. It didn't matter which part he was glancing at. Izuna truly was his foolish little brother. Aiko was lovely. But in Madara's opinion, his brother had traded down, not up.

She bristles. How dare he try to order her around in such a way? Her pride would not allow for such a thing to happen. Her irritation was so great that for a moment she forgot that Madara was one of the most powerful warriors under the ocean and she couldn't match him in brute strength.

Kitasha lunges at him and pins Madara on the bed underneath her. She smirks victoriously. The look upon his face was absolutely priceless. Ha. That would teach him not to underestimate her!

"You know you are the first mermaid to ever do that. I don't think I've ever seen a Nurturer or even a Protector have the absolute gall to pin me before." He muses.

Aiko was kind and gentle. She was also a great beauty. Still the woman held no real appeal for Madara. She was very much the archetype of a Nurturer. Docile and doting. Vanilla. Kitasha was anything but vanilla.

"You spanked me as if I were a child. You deserved it. " She counters.

"And you're proven yourself to me. Perhaps you'll behave yourself more properly as a Mate than you ever did as a wife." He muses.

The red head was going to demand an explanation for that. She really was, but that's when she noticed something. Kitasha could feel something large and hard pressed against her tail. Madara had entered the Bulge Stage. He was getting aroused by their battle.

"You're getting off on this?" She demands.

"Perhaps I do find it erotic, when my lover isn't completely passive. Though I suspect you feel the same way." He says as he sinks his teeth into her neck.

Kitasha gasps when she felt Madara's bite. It didn't hurt. It was the opposite really. She entered the final phase of the Evolution Stage almost instantly. Instinct took over and she Marked him back.

A dome of bright lights form around them. The red head feels her eyes growing heavier and heavier. She had never Marked someone before, but she knew what happened afterwards. They would fall into a deep sleep and when they woke, the bond would be fully formed.

 **End of Spanking/Marking Scene.**

Meanwhile Itachi was swimming down the hall excitedly. His egg was ready to be removed from the pouch. He was on his way to find Kisame, when he saw the lights of a Mating Dome emitting from a room.

"Hmm I wonder who Mated?" He muses to himself.

Curiosity got the better of him. The eldest prince decides to peek. Itachi opens the door just a crack and was rather traumatized by what he saw.

His MOTHER was in the Mating Dome with his UNCLE. His Uncle was now for all practical purposes his STEPFATHER! That was disturbing. Very disturbing!

"By Neptune, this entire family is insane. I do hope that you take after us, baby." Itachi whispers to his pouch as he swims off to find his Mate.

"Itachi, are you alright?" The Akatsuki asks a few minutes later when his rather traumatized lover finds him.

The High Prince of Atlantis sighs. He didn't have any idea how to even begin to explain what he just saw. The utter horror of finding out that your mother was apparently sleeping with your uncle (or about to be sleeping with him anyway.) was indescribable. Thank Neptune, that their daughter about to hatch and was able to distract him from this…situation.

"It's a long story, but our daughter is ready to come out of the pouch now." He says happily.

"Great! Come on. I got us a nice crib for her. Sorry, about the other one. I really did try. I'm just not very good at carpentry, I guess." Kisame says.

"That's fine, Kisame. You are good with your hands in all the way that matters." His lover replies with a smirk and follows him to their room.

Itachi carefully pulls the egg out of his pouch and lays it in the crib. He smiles. It was a beautiful light blue egg with a black top and two smoky gray spots on it.

"I'm sure that she's going to be a beauty, just like her father." Kisame says proudly.

Three days later, Itachi and Sasuke had decided to keep their hatchlings closer together. Everyone was on hatchling watch. The prince and princess each had their own crib.

"I think I heard something!" Naruto calls out excitedly.

It was true. There was a tiny cracking sound. It was coming from Sasuke and Suigetsu's crib. The cracking sound became increasingly louder and more consistent until a chubby hand punches its way out of the watermelon sized egg and a loud cry is heard.

"That's my boy." Suigetsu says as he scoops up the newborn and helps his son get out of the rest of the egg.

Sasuke smiles and swims over. He looks down at their son in awe. He had Suigetsu's snowy white hair and violet eyes. Otherwise, he was the spitting image of his other father and paternal grandfather. His tail was a rich royal blue and his pouch was crimson red. For the two new parents, it was love at first sight.

"Suigetsu, um how do we feed him?" Sasuke asks.

"You can do it the human way. You might not have large breasts, but you can still lactate or you can feed him from the bottle. I already got us lots of formula, just in case." He says.

Sasuke nods. He smiles and scoops up their son in his arms. He was so fucking adorable. The young prince wasn't really sure about the whole nursing thing. Still if Suigetsu said it was okay, it was probably best to at least attempt the more natural way.

"I'll try it and see how it goes. We need to name him though." The Nurturer says.

"Awe, bastard! He's so fucking cute. Hard to believe he's your kid." Naruto exclaims cheerfully.

Hinata shakes her head. She swats her lover playfully. The future Duchess knew that he was only teasing, but still. It was important to treat the moment with the dignity that it deserved.

"Can we see our grandson?" Aiko asks softly.

Sasuke sighs. He nods and swims over to his parents. Things between them were slowly getting better. The young merman understood why his parents had done what they did, but it was still hard to get over.

It helped that they did both sincerely seem to want to repair their relationship. Besides, it wouldn't be right to keep their grandson away from them. He wasn't that cruel.

Aiko and Izuna fawn over their new grandson. He was such a handsome little thing. He definitely got a strong dose of the Uchiha genes. Though Suigetsu's presence was felt in his coloration.

"I think Katsu would be a good name for him." Suigetsu suggests.

"Doesn't Katsu mean victorious?" His Mate asks and raises an eyebrow in amusement.

"Yep. I think that suits him. He's our little victory. Besides, I'm sure that he'll win at lots of stuff!" The new father exclaims brightly.

Sasuke laughs. He kisses Suigetsu's cheek and nods. Katsu it was then. He smiles and takes back his son from the King and Queen.

A small serious of cracking noises was heard from the other egg. Kisame and Itachi swim over excitedly. It didn't take long for the princess to emerge from her bowling ball sized egg.

Kisame picks her up proudly and smiles. She had blue skin like him. Her hair was raven black like Itachi and she had his smoky gray eyes. The girl didn't have gills like Kisame, but she did have sharper than normal teeth. Her tail was snow white and her pouch was a light blue color.

"She's beautiful." Itachi says with a smile.

"Oh Itachi, she's so precious." Aiko says with a smile.

"Yes, she is." Itachi replies in a polite, though somewhat stiff tone.

Sasuke shakes his head. There was obviously no love lost from Itachi's perspective when it came to his stepmother. He didn't feel like he was obligated to step in though. The young prince was still trying to sort out his own parental issues. It would likely only make things worse, if he intervened.

"How about Akina? It means spring flower. She was born in the spring and she is pretty like a flower." Kisame offers.

"Hmm Princess Akina. Yes, it has a nice ring to it. Alright then." Itachi says sounding rather pleased at this decision.

"Where on Earth has Madara wandered off to? For that matter, where is Kitasha? They should be here for the birth of their niece, nephew, and granddaughter." Izuna asks after awhile.

Itachi sighs. It was certainly nothing he really wanted to think about. Still he supposed that his father was going to find out sooner or later.

"Oh they probably won't come out for a few more days. Mother has Mated Madara. Yes, I am still processing that myself." Itachi mutters.

"Wait your mother Mated your uncle?" Sasuke asks in shock.

"Yes, I know. It's rather odd. I happened to be swimming by when I saw the lights from a Mating Dome. I shouldn't have looked, but curiosity got the better of me. They are Mates now." The eldest prince says with a dramatic sigh.

Kisame tries to wrap his mind around that one. No wonder Itachi had looked a little green around the gills when he found him a few days ago. No one wanted to see their mother being Mated.

"Well I guess if anyone can handle your mother, it would be Madara. No offense, Your Majesty." Kisame observes.

Izuna shrugs. It was true. Kitasha was far too wild for most people to handle. She was also a schemer. Perhaps Madara would have better luck than he did.

He wasn't jealous. Well at least not exactly. It still felt like Madara had somehow one upped him. Presumably, he had managed to tame the psychotic bitch to some extent. That was certainly a feat he had never managed.

"I wish him luck. My foolish older brother is certainly going to need it." He mutters.

Aiko blinks. It was hard for her to imagine Kitasha Mating anyone. Still maybe this would be a good thing. Perhaps now that she had a Mate, the other mermaid would stop trying to meddle in the affairs of her family.

"Well then it looks like the arrival of two new grandchildren to celebrate AND a Mating." She observes.

These were very strange times they were living in. Neptune help them all. Kitasha and Madara were Mates. Aiko just hoped that they didn't actually spawn. She shivered to think about what that hatchling would be like.

"Sweet! Party time!" Naruto exclaims.

"Son, is your friend always so…" Izuna trails off as he struggles to find the right word.

"Annoying? Yeah, but he's also really loyal. Anyway, he's right. We should throw some kind of celebration. I mean don't they have to be crowned or something?" Sasuke asks and Izuna nods his head in confirmation.

"I was going to say boisterous, but you're both right. We shall have to organize a grand celebration to announce the Mating and births." Izuna agrees.


	22. Chapter 22

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. This chapter will take place one week after the last one. I hope you all enjoy it.

 **Chapter Notation** : Very mild exhibitionism and nursing references. Warnings will be put up before and after, so you can decide if you want to read them or not.

Chapter 22

"Oh Sasuke, he's so adorable." Mikoto says with a giggle as she spins her grandson around happily.

It had been a week since Katsu and Akina hatched. Naturally, Sasuke was eager to introduce his son to his adoptive parents. Once they were certain that Katsu was completely healthy, Suigetsu didn't mind indulging his Mate. So they left for the surface world.

"I know. He looks just like Sassy. How can he not be?" Suigetsu says smugly.

"Well he does have your eye and hair color." Fugaku notes as he smiles at his grandson.

Suigetsu nods. He was pleased that Katsu did look at least a little like him. Still he didn't mind at all that their first hatchling resembled Sasuke more. Sasuke in the violet eyed merman's eyes was _gorgeous._ So Katsu was lucky to take after him.

"Yeah that's true. His cousin has blue skin." Suigetsu notes.

"W-hat?!" Mikoto and Fugaku ask in stunned voices.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. Oh boy. He really should have explained to them about the Akatsuki people earlier. He supposed there was no time like the present.

"The Akatsuki are species of mermen and mermaids. They can Mate with our kind, but they are a little different. Their skin is blue, they have sharper teeth, gills, and tend to be bigger than us. Personally, I think they are probably an ancestral species or another branch of our tree that just diverged slightly at some point." Sasuke muses.

Fugaku and Mikoto blink. They nod slowly after a moment or two. This was going to take some getting used to. Their grandson had a cousin that resembled a shark.

"How many species of mermaids and mermen are there?" Sasuke's father asks cautiously.

"As far as I know, there are only two." Sasuke says and he looks at Suigetsu curiously for confirmation or denial.

"There might be more, but yeah. I can't argue with Sasuke on this one. There are only two, that I know of." The white haired man states.

Katsu coos. He was happy to be the center of attention. He didn't know who these two new big people were, but they were making the silly faces and voices. Big people did that a lot when they were happy he noticed.

Daddy made the best silly faces and spun him around a lot. Daddy had white hair and violet eyes. Papa had black hair and ruby red eyes. That's how he told his two daddies apart.

"He's a marvel, Sasuke. Truly." Fugaku says as he plays Peek-A-Boo with Katsu.

"Now you see me. Now you don't." Fugaku says as he covers his face.

Katsu tilts his head to the side. Hmm. He could play that game and he could do it better! Katsu goes invisible.

"KATSU! Oh my God, Sasuke! Suigetsu! I don't know what happened. He was just right here. I swear!" The human exclaims in a panic.

"I think our son is an early bloomer. Every merman and mermaid has a talent. I can control water. Sasuke's is electricity or lightning, depending on how you want to look at it. It looks like Katsu's is invisibility. Katsu, come back." He calls out and the hatchling shimmers into view.

Sasuke blinks. Oh boy. Their son could become invisible. That was going to be a pain in the ass in a few years. Neptune help them, once Katsu became a teenager!

Katsu coos. He was very proud of himself. He had surprised the big people and clearly won the game!

"Please tell me that you are going to be a good boy and you aren't to get into all sorts of mischief like your father." Sasuke whispers to Katsu as he scoops him up and rocks him gently.

"Hey!" Suigetsu protests.

"You know how naughty he can be. You'll be a good boy and you won't run off and go invisible." The prince continues.

The Protector shakes his head in amusement. He gives Sasuke's ass a light swat for teasing him. He couldn't even stay miffed at Sassy. He was just so adorable, especially when he played with their son.

"You are lucky that I love you, Sassy. We should probably go back though. Our legs will only work so long before they turn back into tails." He reminds him.

Sasuke sighs. He hugs his parents quickly and lets them say goodbye to Katsu. It was hard to leave them behind, but this was no longer his world. He belonged to the ocean now.

"We'll visit you again next week." Sasuke says with a smile.

"We look forward to it. We're both so happy for you and Suigetsu. He's perfect." Mikoto beams.

Sasuke nods in agreement. Katsu was indeed perfect. He didn't know that it was possible to love someone so much before. He was their little prince. Hell, he loved his son enough to even feed him the natural way. (Neptune was that awkward.)

Suigetsu smiles and scoops up Katsu. He waits for Sasuke to finish his goodbyes and the young family head off. It didn't take long for them to get back to Atlantis.

"Hey, bastard! Good to see you back." Naruto chimes happily as he swims up to him.

Sasuke noted that Hinata and Naruto were both sporting Mating Marks. He doubted that it would be long before the beautiful mermaid was pregnant. Naruto looked way too happy. That was the face of someone who was having fantastic sex on a regular basis.

"It's good to see you too, loser. Hey, Hinata." Sasuke says.

"Hello, Prince Sasuke. Katsu is looking well." Hinata replies shyly and cuddles against her Mate's chest.

Sasuke shakes his head. It was obvious that Hinata was a little skittish around him because of his title. So she was seeking comfort from her Mate. It was a bit embarrassing, but he was certain that he had made similar gestures with Suigetsu. Neptune damnit! He really was a Nurturer.

"There's nothing wrong with being a Nurturer." Suigetsu whispers to Sasuke and kisses his ear.

"Mmm. I guess not." Sasuke murmurs back.

"So what all did we miss?" Suigetsu asks good naturedly as he rocks their hatchling in his arms.

 **Warning Exhibition References**

Naruto laughs. They had missed a lot. Damn. He wasn't even really sure to begin. Apparently, Utakata and Haku decided to do that for the. Everyone gets an eyeful as the newly Mated pair couple right there in the hallway.

"…" Sasuke and Naruto are speechless.

Hinata and Suigetsu didn't seem phased at all. The former humans could only gape at their Mates. Did they not see two mermen having sex only a few feet away from them?

"You remember when I said that we had all the time in the world to do other things with each other? Well our people are not nearly as shy as most humans. Exhibition is common here." Suigetsu explains.

Sasuke blinks. Wait what? So all this time, Suigetus had been hoping that Sasuke would be willing to let others watch them while they made love?!

"Oh. Um Hinata, is that something you'd like to do?" Naruto asks awkwardly.

"You shouldn't feel pressured. I would never force you to do something you weren't comfortable with. I understand that you were raised as a human and that our ways must seem st-range to you, but yes. Only if you want to though." Hinata says in a rush.

"What are they doing?" Sasuke asks and blinks as the two of them spin around together really fast, as if they were making love on a giant hamster wheel.

Suigetsu rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He wasn't entirely certain that Sassy was ready for that. Still he couldn't exactly refuse his Mate's request for information.

"That's called the Lovers' Wheel. Basically you spin around with your lover in a circle as you have sex, really fast. It's a complete rush. It also allows for deeper penetration. The orgasms tend to be more intense." Suigetsu explains.

"So that's what you wanted to do with me." Sasuke says and his Protector nods.

Sasuke and Naruto glance at the Mated pair. Both former humans were considering this new possibility. They look at each other, as if to see what the other was thinking.

"Looks like it could be fun. I'm not having sex in front of the bastard though. I wouldn't want to make him feel self-conscious." Naruto says smugly and kisses Hinata.

Hinata smiles and kisses back. Her Mate was adjusting to life under the ocean so well. She had never heard of anyone taking to the ocean so quickly before.

 **End Exhibition References**

"Good to know. Um Suigetsu, lets go visit Itachi, Kisame and Akina. I kinda wanna see my niece." Sasuke says, feeling a bit awkward at the sexy show.

"Alright. We are going to see your cousin. Won't that be fun, Katsu?" The white haired merman asks his son.

Katsu coos. He knew what the word cousin meant now. Whenever they said that, he was put next to a blue hatchling. She was nice. He giggles as they swim off.

"Itachi? Kisame?" Sasuke calls out as he knocks on their door.

A few minutes later, Kisame opens the door. He greets them and moves aside so that his in-laws could slip inside. He knew why they were here. Of course they wanted to see Akina. Who wouldn't want to see their adorable little princess?

"Ah Sasuke. It's good to see you, Suigetsu, and of course my nephew again." Itachi says with a smile as he looks up from the bed.

"Thanks. I wanted to see my nephew and I think Katsu misses his cousin." Sasuke states, takes Katsu from Suigetsu's arms, and swims over to the bed.

Katsu and Akina coo at each other. Both of them looked at their cousin very assessing. Sasuke chuckles. It was almost like they were testing to see if the other was worthy of sharing the same bed as them.

"She's beautiful, Itachi. Very exotic too." Sasuke comments.

"Thank you. She certainly takes after her father. Definitely a biter." Itachi mutters.

 **Warning Nursing Discussion**

"That's got to be painful when you try to nurse or have you just switched to formula?" Sasuke asks.

"Unfortunately, her teeth are getting sharper by the day. Mermen are faster healers than humans, but I'm not an Akatsuki. I wasn't really designed to be a chew toy. Still I manage. I just take a chakra stick to numb myself a bit. It works." Itachi muses.

Sasuke blinks. Oh that was brilliant. Why didn't he think of that? Fortunately, Katsu wasn't like his cousin. His teeth weren't nearly as sharp. Apparently, hatchlings were born with all their teeth. Unlike humans, they were ready to go. Suigetsu had explained that this had evolved as a way to care for hatchlings whose Nurturer died while they were young.

"Ah well that's good." Sasuke says.

Kisame and Suigetsu lean against the wall and were content to watch their Mates and children. Both Protectors were proud to have such gorgeous Mates and healthy hatchlings. It was a boost to their egos.

"So about the whole nursing thing, does he do it too? I mean does Kisame you know?" Sasuke whispers to Itachi.

"Yes, he finds it erotic. I don't get it either. It's a Protector thing. I say just humor them." Itachi whispers back.

"You two realize that we can hear you, right?" Kisame asks in amusement.

The princes have the decency to look embarrassed. Sasuke and Itachi suddenly find their children even more fascinating than usual. The two brothers try their best to look innocent.

"That's fucking adorable." Suigetsu muses at the innocent act.

He knew that was exactly what it was. Sasuke and Itachi were many things. Innocent definitely wasn't one of them.

 **End Nursing Discussion**

Suddenly an alarm goes off. Sasuke blinks in alarm. He knew something was up by the way Itachi, Suigetsu, and Kisame all got up.

"What's going on?" The raven haired merman asks in confusion.

"That's a Code Black alarm. It means an oil spill. We have to go up and deal with it. There are procedures in place. Hurry we have to get Katsu and Akina to the evacuation place. They'll be watched by professionals who are trained to keep hatchlings away from the oil in these situations while we help out." Itachi explains.

His brother scoops up Akina and swims off quickly with Kisame. Sasuke looks at Suigtesu helplessly. His Mate grabs their son and gestures for the prince to follow him.

"It's alright. We have procedures in place. We just have to make sure that he isn't exposed to the oil is all. Then we'll help make sure that it doesn't spread." The violet eyed merman assures him.

Soon enough they arrive in a place that Sasuke could only describe as a rather large pit. They swim down and place the hatchlings in it. It was designed to be essentially a bunker. Once all the parents had placed their children inside, a massive dome forms around it.

"The dome will keep the oil away from them?" Sasuke asks.

"Yes, it will. This isn't the first time that we've dealt with an oil spill. It happens sometimes. They used to be a lot more deadly before we came up with these plans." His lover explains.

"Itachi, she'll be okay. You helped to design these evacuation plans yourself. She's in good fins." Kisame tries to assure his Mate.

"I know. It's just so hard to leave her. We should go though. They are going to need our help." The elder prince says and the four mermen take off.

A few minutes later they arrive at the sight of the spill. Madara was using his talent to levitate the oil out of the water. Well he was trying to. There was simply too much of it to lift out of the water at once.

"Damn it. There's thousands of gallons of this stuff. I can try to contain it in one spot though." Madara hisses.

"Very well. I'll lighten the load." Izuna says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. How the fuck was his father planning on doing that? He watches as a beam of white light emits out of the King's hands and strikes the oil.

"Your father's ability is related to density. He can increase or lower it. Making things heavier or lighter. It makes him immune to most attacks when he alters his density enough." Aiko explains.

"It's not quite as flashy as telekinesis, but it does get the job done." The King muses as he works his magic.

Sasuke blinks. There were suddenly hundreds of Naruto's. It looked like the blonde was trying to surround the perimeter to make sure the oil didn't escape from Madara's designated _**Danger Zone.**_

"Naruto's talent is the ability to clone himself." He muses.

Aiko waves her hand. That's when Sasuke noticed that some of the oil was no longer moving. Madara could move things with his mind, but his mother could stop them from moving. Amazing really.

Suigetsu's eyes glow and the water begins swirling around the oil, trying to coil it. He was trying to form the oil into a rope like formation. Sasuke frowns. He wasn't sure what he could do to help in this situation.

Kisame and some other mermen appeared to be trying to erect a wall of some sort to ensure that it didn't spread. Maybe he could help with that.

"Sasuke, fire off your lightning. The heat will make the oil stick together and not spread." Kitasha says.

"Oh right." Sasuke says as he does exactly that.

The mermaids and mermen of Atlantis spent the rest of the night dealing with the oil spill. By the time the Sun rose, they were all exhausted. But they had managed to get rid of the oil.

"Itachi, do you have a few moments?" Izuna asks his eldest son.

"I do. Kisame, please go get Akina. I'll meet you in our room shortly. This shouldn't take long." The elder prince says as he kisses his Mate.

Kisame wasn't entirely certain that was a good idea. Lately, Itachi and Izuna didn't have the best relationship. This was for obvious reasons. He knew that once upon they had been close, but that wasn't the case anymore.

He was a Protector. Itachi was his Mate. It was his job to love him and protect him. The Akatsuki thought that he did a damn good job of keeping his Mate happy. He wasn't particularly eager to have Izuna ruin Itachi's good mood.

"Are you sure?" The blue skinned merman asks in concern.

"I'm sure. We do have to at least try to resolve our differences at some point. For Akina's sake, if nothing else." The Nurturer says with a reassuring smile.

Kisame was still less than convinced. He slowly nods though. If Itachi wanted some alone time with his father, he wasn't going to argue.

"He's a good Mate. Kisame is rather protective of you." Izuna observes..

"Yes, he is. He's an excellent Protector." Itachi agrees and swims off with his father.

"I regret that our relationship is not what it once was. This is not your fault. It's mine. I just didn't know how you would react to Sasuke. I am sorry that my marriage to your mother didn't work out. That had nothing to do with you." The King begins awkwardly.

Itachi raises an eyebrow. Damn right it wasn't his fault. That much was obvious. Still he did appreciate the fact that his father was admitting he had been wrong. Izuna was offering an olive branch of sorts.

"I regret it as well. I just don't really know who you are anymore. As a hatchling, I had an idealized version of you stuck in my head. It was painful to see it shattered so brutally." Itachi begins.

The Protector sighs. He figured as much. Still it was painful to hear it. That didn't change the fact that Izuna realized he had to try to fix his relationship with his eldest son. He did love Itachi. He disliked that things were so strained between them.

"Yes, we all have that image of our parents initially. It pains me to know that in a way I failed you. I do wish to make up for my mistakes though. If you will allow it." He replies.

"I suppose it is not fair to hold you to the standard that I constructed in my head, when I was barely more than Akina's age. I realize that you didn't love my mother. If you had, you would have Mated her. It was the fact that you Mated a former human that really stung. I would have been upset if you had chosen another mermaid, but it wouldn't have been as painful." Itachi admits.

Izuna sighs. He embraces his eldest son. Truly, he did hate that he had hurt him. He despised the fact that he had failed his own sons in very major ways. He had never meant to do so.

"If I had the talent to turn back time, I would do things differently." The King promises him.

"That's good to know. Perhaps it would be best, if we simply started fresh." The Nurturer suggests.

"Yes, I think I would like that." Izuna agrees with a smile.

Meanwhile Sasuke and Suigetsu rush back to the shelter. They quickly retrieve Katsu and head back to their room. Both were relieved that the oil spill had been stopped and that their hatchling was safe.

"There. See? He's fine." Suigetsu says and purrs reassuringly at his Mate.

"Yeah. He is. I just didn't like leaving him. He's so little." Sasuke admits and rocks their son.

"He'll get bigger. I didn't like leaving him either." Suigetsu says and kisses Sasuke's cheek, wrapping his arms around his Mate.

The prince nods and leans back into the white haired merman. This was better. Now he knew that their son was alright and he was back in his lover's arms, all was right with his world. He felt himself purring.

Instantly, he realizes what he was doing and he felt his face heat up. Neptune damn it! This was getting embarrassing.

"You're still new to being a merman. You really have to learn to accept that we are different than humans. We are just wired differently. We're a lot simpler in some ways. You don't have to overanalyze everything." The Protector says in amusement and nips on his ear playfully.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." Sasuke says and rests his head on Suigetsu's shoulder.

"That's better. Relax, Sassy." Suigetsu instructs and runs his hand along the side of his lover's tail as he watches Katsu fall asleep in his Mate's arms.

Sasuke smiles and nods. He cuddles into Suigetsu and yawns. Neptune, he was fucking exhausted after that oil spill clean up. Humans could be so fucking annoying sometimes.

He blinks. It dawned on him at that moment that he had just thought of humans as a completely separate species from himself. He really was changing into a merman.

"It's only natural, Sasuke. You'll eventually assimilate completely." Suigetsu says.

"Speaking of that, you want to do that wheel thing? That's what you have been so worried about telling me?" He asks.

"Well yeah. Of course I want to do that. It's a real rush." Suigetsu says as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sasuke pauses as he considers the answer. He wasn't sure he was physically capable of it. His lover seemed to think he was. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try it. It was the other part of the equation that made Sasuke a bit more hesitant.

"In front of others?" He dares himself to ask.

"Well yeah. It's a Protector thing really. We love claiming our Mates with others watching us. We don't have to do that, if it makes you uncomfortable though. I understand that you weren't raised like us. Humans are more shy about such things." The violet eyed merman says reasonably.

The young merman considers it. Could he really have sex with Suigetsu with other people watching? Maybe. Haku and Utakata certainly didn't seem to mind an audience.

"I'll think about it." Sasuke informs him.

"Really?" Suigetsu asks brightly and his lover nods in confirmation.

He wanted to make Suigetsu happy and he knew that he should try to act more like a regular merman. This would accomplish both things at once. Besides, Suigetsu was such a good lover, he might forget that anyone was even watching them. It could be fun.


	23. Chapter 23

You're Adopted

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. This will be the final chapter of this story. It will be set 15 years after the last one. I hope you all enjoy it. If you are interested, feel free to check out some of my other stories.

 **Chapter Additions:** This chapter has been slightly extended. I don't feel that the plot has been essentially changed in any way, but some unanswered questions will be answered. I have marked where the additions begin and end for the convenience of anyone who wants to read them.

 **New Shippers:** ^_^ I am wondering if this story created any new Sasuke x Suigetsu shippers or created new shippers for other pairings. (Such as Kisame x Itachi or Utakata x Haku.)

Chapter 23

"Katsu, if you like her that much you should just tell her." Akina says with amusement.

"How did you know I was here? I'm invisible?" He whispers to his cousin.

Katsu and Akina were now 15. They were cousins, but acted more like twins. Perhaps that was only to be expected. They had been hatched on the same day after all.

"My talent is mind reading. I picked up on your thoughts. You were thinking really loudly." She informs him and the young Protector feels his face heat up at that announcement.

He was blushing. Damn it. He was fucking blushing. Princes were not supposed to blush, especially not Protector Princes!

"Honestly, Protectors are ridiculously shy before their 20th year. I could ask her about you and see what she thinks, if you want." His cousin offers.

"Isn't that kinda cheating?" Katsu asks and tilts his head to the side as if considering her offer.

"Maybe a little, but think of it as a timesaver. If she doesn't like you, this way you know not to bother her. If she does like you, well it's just a push in the right direction." Akina says proudly.

Katsu considers it. He glances back at Sachiko and slowly nods his head. Maybe Akina was right. If the beautiful mermaid wasn't interested in him, then at least he'd know. It wasn't like the princess would be probing her deepest secrets. Just a surface probe.

"Alright." He says.

Sachiko's name meant happiness and to Katsu she lived up to it. She was the daughter of Naruto and Hinata. She was just a few months younger than him. (It hadn't taken Naruto that long to impregnate his new Mate.)

To Katsu, she was the most beautiful mermaid in the entire ocean. The mermaid had beautiful long blue hair like her mother and her father's sapphire blue eyes. She had adorable whisker like markings on her cheeks and Hinata's face. Her tail was orange, just like her father's. Though her pouch was lavender.

The half Akatsuki princess smiles and swims over to her friend. Silly, Katsu. Honestly, he was a prince. He shouldn't be that shy. Boys were strange sometimes.

"Hey, Sachiko." She greets the other mermaid cheerfully.

"Oh hello, Princess Akina." The gentle Nurturer replies with a shy smile.

"Are you coming to mine and Katsu's Hatchling Day party?" Akina asks subtly.

She could be as devious as her grandmother, if she wanted to be. It as a subtle question, but she knew it would work. When someone's name was mentioned, a mind reader usually got a natural gut response from the other person. This case was no different.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world." Sachiko says brightly.

"Great! It's going to be amazing. Well I gotta go. My dads will kill me, if I'm late for my princess lessons." She says and back towards Katsu.

"Alright! Bye! Good luck with your lessons!" The bluenette calls out.

She continues swimming. Thankfully, Sachiko couldn't see Katsu because he was invisible. They continue on for a bit before darting into a spare room.

"She likes you. Sachiko is just really shy. She thinks that since you are a prince, you could have your pick of Nurturers. Which is you know, kinda true." His cousin informs him.

"Really? You mean it? You aren't just pulling my fins?" Katsu asks.

"I wouldn't pull your fins about something like this. I'm not that mean. You should go for it." She tells the prince.

Meanwhile Sasuke follows Suigetsu to a giant forest of kelp. He wasn't sure why his Mate wanted to go here so badly, but the Protector seemed really excited about it. As always, Sasuke found it hard not to indulge his lover.

"So what are we doing here, exactly?" Sasuke asks.

"You'll see. If you don't feel comfortable though, we can just leave." Suigetsu assures Sasuke.

 **Warning Exhibition Lemon**

Sasuke soon finds out what Suigetsu meant. He blinks as he got an eyeful of several couples. He didn't recognize any of them, but he damn sure recognized what they were doing.

"Suigetsu?" He asks uncertainly.

"I told you that it's normal for Protectors to want to show off their Mates. Only if you are comfortable though. I mean if you aren't into it, we can leave. They are all from Madara's city. We don't know any of them and they don't know us." Suigesu says.

Sasuke blinks. His lover had certainly thought this out. Suigetsu had gone out of his way to ensure that they would be strangers. The Protector probably thought that it would be easier for Sasuke to do this with strangers watching, rather than people they knew.

Privately, he muses that it was actually a smart assumption. It was true. He definitely wouldn't do it with any of his family or friends watching him.

For the most part, Sasuke had assimilated into being a merman seamlessly. There were only traces, faint echoes of his time as a human that still occasionally made things awkward. This was one of those times, but he decides to throw caution to the wind and indulge Suigetsu in this request.

"That was considerate of you." Sasuke says as he brushes his lips against Suigetsu's.

If it wasn't for Naruto and his human family that he still visited, Sasuke might actually think that he dreamt it. The young prince could easily pretend that his human life was nothing more than a dream, but he knew it wasn't.

He had now spent almost as much time as a merman, as he had a human. His blue brain was often overrode his human side these days. Suigetsu seemed to enjoy this fact greatly, by the way.

"I thought so." Suigetsu murmurs after returning the kiss.

"Well I suppose since they don't know us, it's alright." Sasuke says and places a trail of kisses along Suigetsu's neck.

Suigetsu was an exceptional Mate. He was a fantastic lover and a very devoted father. (Though half the time, Sasuke didn't know whether Katsu or Suigetsu was more of a hatchling.) He could indulge him in this kink.

"That's the spirit, Sassy." Suigetsu says as he purrs in contentment when he feels his Mate kiss his neck.

"Mhm. Though you had better make this worth it." Sasuke warns him.

"Oh trust me, it'll definitely be worth it." His lover says with a smirk as he grabs Sasuke and holds the Nurturer against his chest.

Sasuke tries not to blush as he was facing some of the other couples. He was getting more than an eyeful and some of the other lovers were definitely looking at them. Suigetsu appears to sense his embarrassment because he licks Sasuke's Mating Mark.

"You don't have to be shy. Of course they are going to look. I have the most fuck-able Nurturer under the Ocean in my arms. You can't really blame them." He growls into his ear hotly.

Sasuke shivers both at the words and the feeling of Suigetsu's breath on his ear. Damn he didn't know he could get to Bulge Phase this fast. Neptune, this was insane.

"What makes you think they are looking at me and not at you?" Sasuke asks and moans when he felt his Mate glide his hand over his bulge.

"Good point. Though I'm sure that your massive erection is probably catching their attention more than me at the moment." Suigetsu says as he lightly bites down on the Mating Mark, causing Sasuketo moan loudly.

Suigetsu smirks. He adored how sensitive Sassy was. He particularly delighted in the all the gorgeous sounds Sasuke would make for him, if he touched him in just the right way.

"You two are new." A pair of mermen say as they swim over.

Sasuke might not have been born a merman, but he didn't have to in this case. It was rather obvious what they wanted. They didn't bother to hide how their eyes raked over his arousal or Suigetsu's biceps.

"Mhm. You can look but if you even think about touching my Mate, I'll rip your dick off. Got it?" Suigetsu hisses at them, his fangs completely bared.

"Alright. Alright. Just asking. Sheesh." They say and swim a few feet away.

For some reason, that possessive display was incredibly erotic to Sasuke. He spins around and kisses Suigetsu passionately, his tongue completely claiming the other man's mouth as his hand strokes his Mate's arousal. The merman could feel that he had already shifted into the Evolution Stage, thanks to Suigetsu's reaction.

Suigetsu kisses back and smiles into it. He could feel how much his protectiveness had pleased Sasuke. He might never verbalize it, but he knew. That's what mattered.

"Neptune, that feels good." He growls approvingly as Sasuke begins showering his chest with kisses, licks, and love bites.

Suigetsu closes his eyes in pleasure. Those were definitely the actions of a very pleased Nurturer. He idly wondered if Sasuke was aware of this or if he was just running on instinct. Fuck it. Who cared? It felt good.

Sasuke smirks at this reaction and continues stroking Suigetsu, who had now entered the Reveal Stage. It was nice to be able to tell so easily when his Protector was _satisfied_ with him. He caresses the backside of Suigetsu's tail and takes the tip his arousal into mouth.

"Fuck!" Suigetsu snarls in pleasure.

This reaction draws more than a few looks from the other couples. Sasuke didn't care though. He continues taking his Mate into his mouth and sucking on him.

He loved the reaction this elicited from him. He could feel how much Suigetsu loved this. He really fucking loved it actually. Sasuke felt like he was going to cum just from feeling Suigetsu's desire racing through his veins.

"If you keep that up, I'm going to cum before we even get started. How do you want it?" Suigetsu growls at him lustfully.

"Reveal Stage. You just got me a little excited. I can feel what you feel." Sasuke reminds him as his tail reforms, but his erection stays.

Suigetsu smirks. It was nice to know that Sasuke was so easily impacted by his desire, even after all these years. Neptune, he loved his Sassy.

"Works for me." Suigetsu says as he grabs his lover and holds him tightly against his chest and they begin to spin around in an erotic circle.

Sasuke was never really sure HOW Suigetsu ever managed to enter him like this. He supposed it didn't really matter. He moans wantonly when he feels his lover bury himself deep inside him and they begin to spin faster and faster.

"Suigetsu! Fuck!" Sasuke howls in pleasure when he felt his Mate hit his spot again and again.

Suigetsu snarls his pleasure and his eyes glow violet. Some of the other couples were watching the feral coupling, but that didn't stop him. If anything that just made him more determined to make Sasuke cum and cum hard. He wanted the other mermaids and mermen to know that Sassy was taken.

"You're so fucking tight. You feel so fucking good." He praises as he bites where Sasuke's Mating Mark was and strokes Sasuke as they spin around, locked in an erotic dance of passion.

Sasuke moans and arches back against his lover desperately. It was all so intense. He could feel every inch of Suigetsu inside him, constantly slamming into his spot. The rush from the twirling in the water and being watched. It didn't take long for him to achieve his release with a roar. Suigetsu wasn't far behind his prince and soon spilled his seed deep inside his Mate.

"So fucking good." Sasuke pants as Suigetsu slides out of him and holds his Nurturer against him protectively.

 **End of Exhibition Lemon**

"Yeah. I love you, Sassy." Suigetsu says as he nuzzles him.

"Mmm, I love you too. We should probably get back though. You know how mother and father start to worry, if we aren't in the palace before low tide." He muses.

"Yeah. Good point." Suigetsu says and they swim back to the palace.

Meanwhile back in Atlantis, Kitasha looks at Izuna like she suspected that he was stupid. Honestly, he should know better by now. Did he really think that Akina would prefer dolphins to sharks?

"If you are getting her a chariot for her hatchling day, I suggest a team of sharks for her. Dolphins should work just fine for Katsu. Akina is an Akatsuki. Sharks will naturally obey her more than they would a regular merman or mermaid. That and she's far more aggressive than her cousin. So they suit her personality better." She states.

Izuna shakes his head. Kitasha was clearly out of her mind. Did she really think that it was a good idea to give a teenager a team of sharks?!

"Madara, will you please talk some sense into your Mate?" He asks.

"I agree with Kitasha actually. Akina is half Akatsuki. It is a natural choice. Besides, you should really trust our grand hatchlings more. They are a lot tougher than they look. They do have royal blood flowing through their veins, after all." Madara says.

Aiko couldn't help but giggle at the forlorn look upon her Mate's face. She smiles and kisses his cheek reassuringly. He should have known better than to ask Madara to argue with Kitasha.

"You find this amusing, do you?" Izuna asks his Mate.

She simply nods her head. It was quite amusing. The mermaid wasn't going to deny that.

 **Chapter Additions**

"Perhaps a little. No more amusing than I find the fact that Madara and Kitasha Mated in the first place though." She admits.

Izuna raises an eyebrow. He had hardly found that amusing. If anything, he had initially been a rather angry. His brother had gone and Mated his ex wife. He had Mated with he woman he had a son with. That had seemed just a slap in the fins at the time.

"I wouldn't say that was my reaction to their Mating. Brother, you still haven't explained how you and Kitasha ended up MATED!" Izuna exclaims.

Itachi nods his head. He had been too traumatized to really ask. The eldest prince had simply accepted the fact they were Mated. Really, there was nothing he could do about it. So objections or questions had been rather pointless in his mind.

"Don't take that accusing tone of voice at my Mate. You decided that you didn't want me. You have no right to act offended when I move on. If you can take a human as your Mate, Madara can Mate me." Kitasha snaps at Izuna.

Madara chuckles. That was his fiery Nurturer. He smiles and kisses her cheek. It pleased him greatly that she would defend him against her former lover.

"It's not as though I planned it really. She was just rather defiant and we were arguing. I suppose my Protector instincts just wanted to assert dominance and she is a beautiful mermaid. Nature took its course." He muses.

Izuna felt himself twitch. Nature took his course?! That was it?! He had Mated his own brother's ex wife because he couldn't control his animal instincts? By Neptune, the man could be infuriating sometimes!

"Well thank you for at least sparing me the more graphic details. I'm already traumatized enough as it is." Itachi muses and Kisame nuzzles his Mate comfortingly.

"My love, cool your temper. It matters not now. They have been Mated for years. They are happy together and we are happy together. Let's not argue over how that occurred." Aiko pleads.

"Very well. I suppose you are right." Izuna grumbles.

Madara smirks. He knew it was childish, but he couldn't resist. He was after all, Izuna's older brother. It was his job to tease him.

"You couldn't satisfy her, so I did. There's no need to be so upset about it. Perhaps Aiko prefers are more genteel lover. Kitasha doesn't. It's just that simple." The elder merman states.

"OH THAT'S IT!" Izuna says as he lunges at his brother.

Fortunately, Kisame was there to save the day. His special ability was shifting. He could alter the shape of his body into any form. In this case, he turned into a large chain and wrapped himself around Izuna to prevent a fight.

"Thank you, Kisame. That was rather clever of you. Father, I am also hurt that they didn't inform me of their "courtship." Still it's in the past. There is no reason to hold onto old anger. Madara, stop provoking him. I would expect a King to conduct himself with more dignity than a hatchling." Itachi reasons.

Kisame keeps a tight hold on Izuna. He wasn't going to allow a bloodbath to erupt around his Mate. That was why he was a Protector after all.

"I suppose you're right. You will make a fine King, one day. You have the best of both of us in you." Izuna says with a sigh, suddenly feeling a little ashamed at his reaction.

Izuna meant that most sincerely. Itachi had his calm temperament and Madara's fiery spirit. It was quite the contradiction. Still he knew that it would make his eldest son into a fine King. (Well Izuna was a mostly calm merman, barring this incident of course.)

"Thank you, father. Now, Kisame will you please let him go? I do believe he has calmed down now." Itachi asks.

Kisame unwinds himself from the King of Atlantis and changes back. He smiles at Itachi. He couldn't be prouder to have him as his lover. Izuna was correct. Itachi would make an excellent King one day.

It was decided that Sasuke would rule over Madara's kingdom, when he passed on. The people of Atlantis knew Itachi more than they knew Sasuke. He was a beloved figure. Quite simply, he had been here first. So it seemed cruel to yank his birthright away from him and hand the city over to a "stranger." (Sasuke had been a merman for awhile, but he was still a newcomer when compared to his brother.)

"I apologize. I shouldn't have attacked you in such a fashion. I suppose that I shouldn't have let my feelings on the matter bottle up." Izuna says with a sigh.

"It's alright. I did provoke you. There is no need to fret over it anymore." Madara admits.

Itachi would rule over Atlantis when the time came. He was happy about this arrangement. Itachi's logic was simple. He was pleased that he would lead the kingdom that he was born in.

Sasuke was just happy to be a prince at all. The younger merman had accepted who he was now. He was a merman, a Nurturer, a Mate, a father, and a prince. He now embraced all these roles.

 **End of Chapter Additions**

"Anyway, we got all the decorations and food set up." Naruto says as he swims into the room with Hinata.

Naruto could sense that he had just stepped into a rather awkward situation. The decorations and food gave him an excuse to lighten the mood. Thankfully, it worked.

"Ah that's good. We already send out the invitations." Haku says as he cuddles into his Mate's protective hold.

Itachi frowns. Hmm. It felt like they were missing something. What was it? Oh yes, where were they going tog hide the presents until their birthday arrived?

"Don't worry. I know exactly where to put them. The kids won't find the." Kisame assures him and Itachi smiles.

The next day, Sasuke, Suigetsu, Katsu, and Mangetsu go to visit Sasuke's parents. As always, Mikoto and Fugaku doted on their grandson. Sasuke smiles as he watches them spoil the young prince rotten.

"Their really nice for humans." Mangetsu says.

"Yeah, Sassy's adoptive parents are pretty cool. They wanted to make sure to give Katsu his "birthday" present, before the big day passed by." Suigetsu explains.

Mangetsu shoots his brother a confused look. What on earth was a birthday? He had never heard of such a strange thing before.

"It's the human version of a Hatchling Day. " The violet eyed man elaborates and Magnetsu ohhhs.

Sasuke nods in confirmation. He couldn't help but compare the two brothers. Both had white hair, though Mangetsu had white eyes instead of violet. His teeth were also a bit less sharp than his Mate's. In his merman form, he had a indigo colored tail and silver pouch. His talent was controlling the weather.

"You're getting so big!" Mikoto exclaims at her grandson.

"Yes, mother. Mermen grow just like human boys do." Sasuke informs her in amusement.

"If you keep sassing your mother, I will bend you over and spank you. You aren't too old for it." Fugaku warns him.

Sasuke just shakes his head at his father's idle threat. He highly doubted that he would actually try to do it. Even if he did, he'd just use an extremely low voltage and shock him off of him.

"Actually, I'm the only one that gets to spank Sassy these days." Suigetsu says proudly.

"GROSS! DAD! I DIDN'T NEED TO HEAR THAT!" Katsu says and makes a face.

Suigetsu laughs. Sasuke feels his face heat up in embarrassment. He glowers at his lover for that remark. Suigetsu puts up his hands in an _I surrender gesture._

"Alright. Alright. I guess that might have been a little bit more information than they needed." He admits.

"Ya think?!" The Prince of Atlantis demands.

"I was just having some fun. No need to get your tail in a twist, my love." The violet eyed merman says.

Katsu shakes his head. His dad loved to tease papa. Sometimes he swore that Suigetsu got off on Sasuke beat him up. His papa was very feisty for a Nurturer. Sometimes he was surprised that Sasuke wasn't a Protector, actually.

"Anyway, we should probably get going. They are planning a "surprise" hatchling day party for Akina and I." The youngest prince says.

"Wait! How did you know that?!" Suigetsu demands.

"Akina is a mind reader. You didn't really think that you'd be able to keep the party a secret from us, did you?" Katsu asks with a smirk.

Sasuke just shakes his head. Every year, they tried to surprise them and every year they failed. Oh well. Katsu was correct. They should probably get moving.

"Let's just go back. We wouldn't want all their efforts to be in vain, now would we?" Sasuke asks with a smile.

"Nope!" His son says cheerfully and everyone exchanges hugs with the humans before going off, except for Mangetsu. (He thought it would be weird to hug someone he just met!)

A short while later, they arrive back at the palace. The party was in full swing. Akina and Katsu clearly weren't surprised, but everyone was used to this by now.

Sasuke smiles when he sees Kisame and Itachi dancing. Naruto was sorta dancing with Hinata. Well if you considered him twirling and dipping her a lot to be dancing, anyway. He was glad that his friend had also found love under the ocean. Still that didn't change the fact that Naruto had two left fins when it came to dancing.

"Should we show them how it's done, Sassy?" Suigetsu asks.

"Mmm I suppose so." Sasuke replies as he wraps his arms around his lover's neck and they begin to sway to the music.

If there was one thing the older generation was good at, it was apparently dancing. Sasuke blinks when he sees Kitasha and Madara show off on the dance floor. Their style was aggressive and full of fiery passion. His mother and father seemed to prefer a more elegant and refined version of the same dance.

"Hey!" Katsu says cheerfully as he approaches Naruto's daughter.

"Hello, my prince. I hope you are enjoying your Hatchling Day." She answers him with a soft smile.

"I'd be enjoying it even more, if you would dance with me." Katsu says.

Sasuke blinks. Damn kids grew up fast. He kindly looks away from Katsu and pretends that he didn't hear that. Soon enough Sachiko and his son were dancing.

"Don't ruin the moment." Sasuke whispers to Suigetsu in a threatening voice.

"I wouldn't do that. I think it's great that he has his first crush. Besides, she's cute." Suigetsu whispers back.

The dancing and feasting continues for hours. Eventually, Akina and Katsu get to open their many, many presents. Obviously, the chariots stole the show.

"I love it!" Akina cries out happily and she embraces her parents.

"This is amazing. Thanks dad! Thanks papa!" Katsu says as he hugs Suigetsu and Sasuke.

"Why don't you go take it out for a spin, while we start cleaning up here?" Suigetsu suggests.

Katsu and Akina didn't need to be told twice. They rush off to go test drive their chariots. The older generation just laugh and shake their heads.

"Ah I remember when I got my first chariot. It was a wonderful experience, until Madara crashed it into the reef." Izuna mutters.

"Oh yeah. Sorry about that. It's just that I didn't see that school of jellyfish until the last minute. You know how vicious they can be." Madara apologizes and the other King simply nods his head, accepting the apology.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at that one. It looked like there was one Hell of a story to tell there. He decides to ask later. Right now, he couldn't resist messing with Itachi.

"So Itachi, for father's day, do you have to buy something for Izuna and Madara? Or do you just file him under the uncle category?" He asks "innocently."

"You, my foolish little brother, are quite the sadistic prick sometimes." Itachi growls in annoyance.

Sasuke smirks. It was fun to get under Itachi's scales. Of course it had taken him awhile to figure out what would accomplish this task, but now he knew.

"Oh Itachi. He's just teasing you. Don't let it bother you. Sasuke." Izuna says warningly.

"What? It was just a question." He replies as if he hadn't been deliberately trying to get a rise out of his older half-brother.

Mangetsu chuckles. He shakes his head and stands behind Suigetsu. This could get interesting and he wanted to get a front row seat, if it did.

"Come on, Sassy. Let's get Katsu and go home. It's late and things look pretty well settled here." He says.

That was true. It was late. They had been cleaning up the place for hours. Really, it could be exhausting to throw Hatchling Day Parties, especially for teenagers.

"Yeah. Guess you're right. See you guys later." Sasuke says as he swims off with Suigetsu to find their son.

It didn't take them long to grab Katsu and take him back to his room. Once Katsu had gotten older, the youngest prince got his own bed chambers. A fact which was a relief to both him and his parents, these days. (Young mermen needed their privacy.)

"So papa, you never did tell me how you and dad met." He says as he was heading towards his door.

"Oh it's a long story. If you want to hear the full tale, I'll have to come inside." Sasuke says and Katsu nods, opening the door for his parents to follow him.

It was just a fact of life. Wherever Sasuke went, Suigetsu went. The reverse was also true. Katsu hoped that one day he and Sachiko would be just as inseparable.

"Alright. I'm listening." Katsu says as he sits on the bed and his parents sit on some nearby chairs.

"Well it all started with just two simple words." Sasuke begins.

Katsu nods his head encouragingly. It was a signal for his papa to continue and to show that he was listening. Sasuke did indeed continue.

"They were, _"You're adopted."_ Those two words changed my entire life." His papa says as he proceeds to tell Katsu the whole story. (Of course he edited out some of the more…adult parts).

About an hour later, Katsu looks at his parents in a stunned fashion. Whoa. He never knew any of that before.

"I guess that does explain why Grandpa Fugaku and Grandma Mikoto are human. I always wondered, but thought it might be rude to ask. So you really were a human once?" He asks.

"Yes, I really was. I much prefer being a merman though. If I wasn't a merman, I never would have met your father or had you. I'll trade legs and cheeseburgers for that anytime." Sasuke says with a smile.

Katsu cocks his head to he side adorably. He knew what legs were. He didn't know what cheeseburgers were though.

"What are cheeseburgers?" He asks.

"Nevermind. It doesn't matter. Just a human food that I used to like. Good night, Katsu. Sleep well. We love you." Sasuke says as heads off with his Mate.

"Yes, we do. Never doubt that." Suigetsu calls out as they make their way down the hall.

Sasuke blinks when he saw Sachiko approach them. He heads over to see what the mermaid wanted. It looked like something was on her mind.

"Do you still have Katsu's crib?" She asks.

"I think so. Why do you ask?" Suigetsu replies in confusion.

"Good. You are going to need it. My talent is seeing the future. I foresaw that Katsu was going to have a baby sister." She says brightly.

Sasuke blinks. That was a new one. She could see the future? He looks at Suigetsu uncertainly.

"We'll have to check to see if we have that crib. Thanks for telling us though. Good night, Sachiko." He says as he drags Sasuke into their room.

"Do you think that she can really see the future?" Sasuke asks.

"I don't se why not. You have a niece who can read minds. Why is seeing the future anymore hard to believe? Besides, why don't we work on making her prediction come true either way?" Suigetsu asks with a smirk as he pins his Mate playfully to the wall.

The young prince smiles. That was Suigetsu for you. He would use any excuse to have sex. Not that Sasuke minded. By Neptune, did his Protector drive him crazy.

"I love the way you think." Sasuke says as he kisses his Mate.

"Good because I love everything about you. Let's see if we can't give Atlantis a second princess." Suigetsu suggests after breaking the kiss and proceeds to start doing exactly that, much to Sasuke's delight.


End file.
